The New Roommate
by Platti
Summary: What happens when Sakura's parents die on a mission and Kakashi is forced to have her move in with him? My first fanfiction, rated M for later chapters, KakaSaku
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

**Hey all, Platti here!, this is my first stab at a fanfiction, it is a KakaSaku, so please R&R, flames and constructed criticism always welcome.**

Kakashi ran his hand through his unruly silver hair. "I don't think that this is a good idea, Tsunade-sama. Do you really think that this is…appropriate?" he looked at the blonde Hokage, hoping she would agree with his train of thought. "I do think that it is appropriate…" Tsunade didn't make eye contact as she replied. Kakashi sighed, "Who was your other option?" hesitancy lacing his voice. "Naruto…" Kakashi could _not_ picture that.

"Fine, when does she move in?" he slumped his shoulders in defeat. He wasn't looking, for if he were, he would've seen the victorious smile tugging at the older woman's lips. "As soon as possible, so why don't you go home and tidy up?" she said with false cheeriness, just to annoy the Copy-nin. He thought about it, '_I do need to 'tidy' up…'_ and with that thought, he was gone in a poof of smoke.

After the smoke cleared the victorious smile fell from Tsunade's face as she shouted for her assistant, "Shizune!" she sighed as she heard scurrying from the other side of the door. Shizune, getting a hold on herself burst through the door, only to be sent back out by Tsunade to go fetch Sakura. The senbon-using woman muttered something about 'Ungrateful drunks' and set off in her search.

**(Somewhere on the other side of the Leaf Village….)**

A pink-haired Kunoichi was slowly, almost languidly, packing up her belongings from the now empty house that use to belong to her parents. They were killed on a mission three weeks ago, she decided to move out, the only reason she took so long was because of a certain slug-summoning Sanin. Tsunade wouldn't let Sakura move out unless it meant she was moving in with a friend, Tsunade thought that she was going to hurt herself if she were to live by herself. It took three weeks for her to find a suitable roommate, she told her to pack her things because today was the day she would find somebody.

Sakura wasn't so surprised when Shizune came knocking on the door, informing her of Tsunade's request for her presence. Sakura sighed as she followed Shizune to the Hokage Tower. Shizune entered the office first bowing before the Hokage and left Sakura alone with her. "I figure you found a suitable roommate?" Sakura spoke once she was sure Shizune had left. "Yes, you will be moving in with him today." Sakura looked shocked at the use of 'him' and looked questioningly at her old sensei. "What do you mean '_him'?_" She said, voicing her inner thoughts.

"You will be moving in with Kakashi." Tsunade ever straightforward answered. Sakura looked confused. "You want me to move in with my old sensei? Don't you think that's a tad…inappropriate?" Tsunade's left eyebrow twitched, '_what is with these people? It's better than Naruto…right?' _ Rubbing her eye in frustration she spat, "It's either Hatake, or Uzumaki…your decision." Sakura bit her lip in thought. "Kakashi." She said decisively.

**(……………….)**

"There, that's the last one!" Naruto, ever the helpful one said as he set Sakura's last box of belongings on Kakashi's living room floor. Sakura gave him a bright smile and thanked him kindly. "Oh, it was nothing Sakura-chan." He scratched the back of his head with his best fox-grin glued on his face. Sakura couldn't help but smile the same way, it was just contagious. A moment of comfortable silence reigned between the two good friends/teammates. "Well, Hinata's waiting, I told her I'd bring her out to dinner, Bye Sakura-chan!" he shouted as he ran off into the setting sun. "Bye, Naruto." Sakura let the smile slip off her face.

Kakashi stood, staring at pile upon pile of boxes, contemplating where they could go, safely that is. He turned to Sakura and sighed, "I guess I can move them to the guest room for you." He gave her a familiar eye-crinkle. He picked up the nearest box and with the thought of '_this is going to take forever,'_ he began the task of moving the pink-haired woman in.

Sakura lay on her new bed, the room wasn't like the one she had in her old house, but something about it expressed 'home'. Maybe it's the pictures on the nightstand, she thought. Moving boxes with Kakashi had been awkward, to say the least. It was painfully obvious his discomfiture with his personal space being invaded, even if it was only his guestroom. She flipped over onto her side and stared at the far wall. She slowly began to close her eyes, sleep pulling her in like metal to a magnet. Soon enough, she was dreaming.

Sakura awoke to the smell of something cooking, taking in a more audible whiff, she recognized the smell anywhere, and it was instant-ramen. She couldn't help but chuckle as she pictured Kakashi actually _cooking_, and that doesn't include anything of the ramen sort. She made her way out the bedroom door and down the hallway and into the kitchen where she saw Kakashi pulling out two bowls and filling them with the noodles. "It isn't much…as you have probably thought, I am no cook." He turned around and smiled at her as he set down the two bowls on the old, cracked wooden dining table. Cautiously, she made her way to her seat and sat down.

She dug in with a fast 'Itadakimasu' and relished in the fact that it wasn't pork flavored, she hated pork-flavored ramen. She looked up after finishing hoping she could catch a glimpse of Kakashi's face, but was disappointed when she found him reading in front of an empty bowl. The silver haired male chuckled as he glanced over his book and saw the indignant glare he got from his ex-student. "Aren't you gonna let me see under the mask?" she pouted. He thought for a second, rubbing his cloth-covered chin, "No." he said finally

Her pout only worsened with his response. He ruffled her hair from over the table, without his eyes leaving the pages of his porn. She slapped his arm away and stood up to clean her eating place. Kakashi, feeling awkward with the silence, even though he had his orange companion with him tried valiantly at small talk, "Nice weather, eh?" he said while closing his book and pushing across the table, giving her his full attention.

Sakura glanced out the window to see dark-gray, almost black thunderclouds letting up, rain started pouring down. She turned to look at him and spoke with sarcasm dripping from her voice and a roll of her eyes, "Yea, perrrfect weather, just makes you want to take a nice long stroll, hm?" Kakashi sighed, "You have gotten more sarcastic since I've last seen you…" he stated as if making an observation. "Very perceptive." She mumbled under her breath.

She finished washing their dishes and put them away. She stepped back on her heels and took in everything around her for the first time. His kitchen wasn't anything special, it wasn't shabby, nor was it extravagant, it was modern, yet classic. It was…Kakashi, she thought. Happy with her deduction on the kitchen she ventured into the living room, only to find a certain silver-haired jounin on the couch reading his Icha Icha Paradise. She stood behind him and tried reading over his shoulder. Kakashi, feeling somebody watching him, he closed his book and turned around to look at a wall. '_That's funny, I could've sworn she was right there…whatever.'_ He thought. He turned to see said person sitting right next to him

"What is so interesting about those books?" she asked innocently. "No-can-tell, Must be 18 years or older." He stated, as if he had memorized it; she wouldn't doubt it if he had. "I'm 20 now, Kakashi." She said stupidly. The uncomfortable silence after her statement was only broken by the sound of steady rain thrumming against the windowpanes and the roof. Kakashi, feeling awkward coughed and mumbled "Sorry." "It's okay, you didn't know."

"Do you have a shirt I could borrow?" she asked hesitantly. "For what?" he turned to regard her carefully. "I don't really have any night shirts…and I wanted to shower." She nervously wrung her hands together, a blush creeping up her cheeks under his intense gaze. "Sure, I'll get it for you." He left and she sighed in relief. He returned with a standard-issue jounin undershirt and handed it to her. She just looked at it for a second before realizing she had asked for it. With a light blush she snatched the shirt from him mumbled thanks and ran to the shower. She came out in just his shirt and asked him for a comb, hers had broken she said.

Kakashi looked at her and couldn't help but let his eyes rove her body, he had to admit, she looked good in his shirt. He told her where his comb resided. He looked at the glaring red numbers of the alarm clock next to him the numbers 10:30 glared back at him, might as well go to bed he thought. As he made his way down the hall, he noticed that Sakura's door was open a little and of-course he peeked in, and what he saw shocked him……

**TBC….**

**REVIEW!, tell me what I need to work on!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Nope, **_**still**_** not mine**

**Platti here again!, here's chapter two! Cookies to all who reviewed last chapter!**

Kakashi stood, rooted to the spot, he couldn't believe that this was his ex-student. '_Well apparently, your ex-student likes going commando…' _inner Kakashi snickered. Sakura was desperately trying to reach the comb that fell between the headboard of the bed and the mattress. Giving Kakashi a full view of her 'assets', for she wasn't wearing any underwear. No matter how much he knew this was wrong, he couldn't tear his eyes away.

He knew he shouldn't have given her such a short shirt, so much for following his gut instincts. Sakura finally grasped the comb from under the bed and pulled it out raising it in the air in a victorious arm-pump. She still couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched, but when she turned towards the door she didn't see anyone. She shrugged her shoulders, '_I must be getting paranoid…' _she got up and shut the door in case she wasn't getting paranoid. Sakura glanced around the room, maybe I should just go to bed.

Kakashi was leaning against the wall in his hallway, next to Sakura's door, thanking his lucky stars that he turned away just in time, even he would have been embarrassed if she caught him looking. '_I need bed.' _that night Kakashi had dreams filled with a certain pink-haired, ex-student of his. While Sakura was dreaming about being watched…

Kakashi rolled out of bed and headed towards the bathroom to shower. He hated mornings with everything in him, it meant another tedious day of training with the team. His walking stance slouched just a little more as he thought about the day ahead. One by one, he pulled off his clothing, mask, undershirt with mask, sweatpants, boxers, all landed in the hamper as he hopped into the hot spray. Sighing with satisfaction, he pulled the nearest wet poof of the wall and the nearest bottle of body wash and began washing. Barely awake Kakashi rinsed off. The bathroom filled with a vanilla scent. Kakashi froze as he smelt the air, lifting up his arm, he sniffed. His eyes widened, _great _he thought as he realized he had used Sakura's wet poof and her body wash.

Kakashi finally got out of the shower, not without double checking which shampoo and conditioner he had used. He walked into the kitchen to see Sakura eating a bowl of cereal. She glanced up as he walked in and smiled, "Training today?" she asked around her spoon. "Yea at 12:00." he set up a cup of tea for himself, he rarely ever ate breakfast anyways. "Well, I have to go check in with Tsunade to see when I work in the hospital." Kakashi nodded not really listening. Sakura finished her breakfast and breezed past Kakashi standing next to the sink as she dropped her bowl in. He could faintly smell vanilla on her as she walked past him and out the door. '_Thank Kami I rewashed with my own body wash.'_ he thought as he finished up his tea and headed out the door, locking it behind himself.

Sakura was running from rooftop to rooftop to the Hokage Tower, it was just so much easier than running through the crowded main streets of Konoha. Her mind kept drifting off to her parents, she missed them, but she now accepted the fact that they were forever gone. With a graceful leap she landed feet-first in front of the Tower and walked through the double doors.

Tsunade was drinking her newly discovered sake (Shizune had hid it, she found it.) when a knock sounded on the door. Quicker than ever, Tsunade shoved the bottle of sake into the nearest drawer and dismayed when the drawer wouldn't shut. Sakura knocked again, what could this woman be doing? She thought as she heard a muffled "Come In.". "Oh, hello Sakura." Tsunade said, glad for once that it wasn't her assistant, Shizune. "Good morning Tsunade-sama." Sakura bowed a little, since Tsunade was no longer her teacher, she didn't call her 'shishou' anymore.

"What brings you here? Did Kakashi do something to you! That pervert!" she said, her voice rising an octave. "No, Kakashi didn't do anything!" she replied a little to quickly, a blush faintly staining her cheeks. "He better not of, Or I'll-" Sakura cut her off, "I'm here to ask when my next shift at the hospital is." she looked at her leader with a questioning look. Tsunade sighed and put her head on top of her intertwined fingers, "You work again Wednesday, from 7-3." she smiled as Sakura grunted her approval. "Now don't you have training with the team?" the Hokage asked. "Shit…it's 12:30! It started at 12:00!" Sakura shouted as she ran out the door, leaving behind a laughing Hokage, "He's already rubbing off on her…" she spoke to nobody in particular as she grabbed out her sake bottle once again.

"Geez, Sakura-chan! You're actually late!" Naruto stated as if it wasn't obvious she already know it. Sai just looked at her with a fake smile while saying "About time, ugly bitch." Naruto and Sakura had stopped wailing on him for such things, it was pointless, not even brute force got through to him. Sasuke just stood indifferently as always, he didn't really like Sai that much, he was his replacement before he came back after getting his revenge and killing Orochimaru after all. "Yea, Kakashi-sensei must be rubbing off on you already." Naruto teased while smiling at her, Naruto was the only one left in the group that still called Kakashi 'Kakashi-sensei', even after Kakashi told him not to himself.

"Speak of the devil and he shall come." Sasuke said as he turned himself fully towards the others in the group. "About time Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto shouted indignantly, he unlike the others _still_ yelled at Kakashi for his tardiness, that's Naruto for you, Sakura thought. "Can we just hurry up already?" Sasuke mumbled as he walked towards the field. Kakashi sighed as Naruto raced after him and he was left standing with Sakura and Sai. Sai looked at him and shrugged his shoulders, running after the odd friends. "We might as well go, you know if we leave them too long, they'll kill each other." with this Kakashi and Sakura followed after Sai to an already sparring Naruto and Sasuke.

Training was energy-draining today Sakura thought as she healed Naruto's broken jaw. Him and Sasuke got into it a little to deep again. The medic-nin sighed as she surveyed the damage done to the surrounding area, craters were everywhere and most of the trees laid on the ground broken or damaged beyond repair. Finishing Naruto's healing process, the Kyuubi helped also. She moved on to Sasuke, despite his words of 'I'm fine, honestly.' Sai had no injuries, he mainly watched the two rivals/friends go at it. Kakashi was the last to be examined. "Do you have any injuries?" She asked politely, pulling the silver-haired man away from his smut. He looked her over and shook his head, "You should deal with your own injuries before mine." he stated as he went back to his reading material

"Come on Kakashi, the medic is suppose to look after her team before herself." she recited it as if she had memorized it. He looked at her again. "I'm not injured." he finally said as she sighed and walked away to tend to her own injuries. She watched, laughing as Naruto begged Kakashi to take them all out to ramen. "Kakashi will give in soon enough." Sai whispered to Sasuke who was sitting on the other side of Sakura. "Yea, he'll go with us and foot us with the bill…again." Sasuke replied from his sitting position. "Most likely." Sakura sighed as Naruto led the way, albeit more happily than the others to Ichiraku's ramen bar.

Naruto downed his fifth bowl as the others finished their firsts. "How do you not throw up watching him eat like that?" Sai asked Sasuke, disgusted. "Sakura and I are used to it." the raven haired man shrugged his shoulders. "When are we going to get a mission!?" Naruto said randomly. Kakashi sighed from behind his book on the other side of the blonde haired shinobi. "Just be patient, Naruto." he said to stem the younger man's complaints. Naruto just snorted into his bowl and continued eating without another word.

Sakura felt somebody sit down next to her. She glanced over and smiled, "Hey, Kiba." she said to the dog owner. He looked at her and replied, "Hey Sakura, what's up?" they became engaged in a conversation which ended in Kiba asking Sakura out on a date, "There's this party over at the old warehouse down by the Lucky Shuriken." he said while adding, "Would you wanna go with me?" he asked, completely oblivious to the hand tightening around the orange covered novel. Sakura smiled sweetly at Kiba and thought about his offer for a second. "Sure, when is it?" she asked. "Tomorrow at 8:00, I'll pick you up at 7:30." with that he grabbed his bowl of ramen to go and headed off on his own way.

Kakashi didn't understand why she would want to go out with somebody like Kiba, but then again why did he care, it's her life, isn't it? He shrugged off the thoughts as being and overprotective father like figure to Sakura. He was tired, and right about now would be when he would conveniently slip away and foot his teammates with the bill, however he was feeling generous today. He made sure to eat _one _more bowl before running off, '_That's my idea of being generous.'_ he thought as he opened his apartment door and flicked on the lights.

"That bastard!" Naruto shouted at the empty seat beside him, where Kakashi had vanished from, "This time he even made sure to eat more than normal!" he was upset, but no matter how upset he got with his team leader he never took it out on him, this was typical Kakashi. "I'll pay this time." Sakura said as she fished out the appropriate amount for the bill and slapped it down on the table and left. '_What is with him always leaving us with the bills!' _she thought angrily as she walked through the door to hers and Kakashi's apartment

Kakashi could sense hatred directed towards him coming from the front door, he didn't look up from his book though. "You're mean!" she stated indignantly. He tried not to chuckle at the look he _knew_ he was receiving from the pink-haired Kunoichi. "I paid for it." she mumbled as she plopped down next to him. He looked over at her only to see her staring back at him. "So you have a date with that Inuzaka kid, eh?" Kakashi asked while returning back to his book. He heard her sigh, "Yea, but I don't know what I'm going to wear…" she trailed off, obviously in deep thought about the next night.

"Wait, how did you know?" she asked curiosity seeping into her voice. "I have my ways, my _ninja_ ways." he said with an eye-crinkle, she laughed and playfully slapped his arm, "No really, how did you know?" she asked again, albeit a little more seriously this time. "I heard him ask you." he said simply. "I thought that you were to engrossed in the sick and perverted piece of literature to hear anything." she said, knowing calling his book sick and perverted would get a rise out of him. "It's not sick, it's just _descriptive,_ and it's not perverted it's _romantic, _there's a difference you know." he stated while glaring at her seriously.

She couldn't help but laugh at him for saying that, not only saying it, but being serious about it too! Kakashi didn't find it humorous and mumbled something about 'Young kids' these days' under his breath and continued to read. He found himself unable to read when her thigh kept bumping against his own, her _scantily clad _thigh. _This is going to be a very long night. _he thought to himself as he saw out of the corner of his eye, her stretch her hands above her head and yawn, making her back arch perfectly. Then another thought struck him, _Why me?_

**REVIEW! Tell me what I need to work on! **


	3. Drinks and Tears

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto (Seems monotonous doesn't it?)**

**Platti here, this time I must apologize for the wait on this chapter…I was banned from the 'puter…but it's extra long because of the long wait! Thanks to all of those who have reviewed, and for all of those silent readers, REVIEW! it only takes about one minute…just click the little box…do it…DO IT!**

Kakashi must've been imagining things, because when he walked through that cracked blue door, the first thing he saw was Sakura cooking dinner, he knew she hated cooking. He was afraid to know exactly what she was sucking up too, but he was never one to turn down a delicious free meal. He hung his vest on the coat hanger off to the right of the door and ventured into the kitchen. Sakura turned around and smiled at him as she heard his footsteps. She was wearing a little pink apron that said 'Kiss the cook.' She saw him eyeing said apron and giggled a little, "I found it in one of my small kitchen boxes the other night, it use to be my mom's." her eyes got a little dull at the remembrance of her mother. She smiled and motioned to an empty seat at the cracked kitchen table.

"You need a new kitchen table." she said absently. Kakashi nodded just as absently. She set down the pan of food on a placemat in the middle of the table. "What's this?" Kakashi asked his interest piqued. "It's stuffed pork chops with macaroni and cheese…I thought you would like something different, besides cup-ramen that is." she tucked a pink lock of hair behind her right ear as she dished out the food evenly and looked at him expectantly. He wasn't exactly sure what she had wanted, so he turned around and began eating. He heard a slightly irate huff come from behind him, making him gulp a little more loudly than meant.

"Fine…don't eat with me." she sounded wounded. He rolled his eye heavenwards. "I am eating with you." he turned around and set his empty plate onto the table with a small clink. "That was good thank you." an eye-crinkle followed his compliment. Ignoring the eye-crinkling compliment, she started to ask her 'favor' she had been sucking up to. "I'm your favorite student, right Sensei?" she asked sweetly while smiling over at him. 'I don't like the look in her eye'. Kakashi thought as he tried to conjure up what she could possibly want with his life. "I wouldn't say favorite…I guess it all depends on the question you're about to ask me." he leaned back in his chair and chuckled inwardly at the myriad of emotion splay across the Kunoichi's face.

"Well…as you know I have a date with Kiba…" "Mhmm." he nodded, he knew where this was going. "Do you think you could…maybe…help me pick out an outfit?" she wrung her hands together nervously, awaiting his response. Okay…maybe he didn't know where it was going. "Sure?" he asked, rather than stated. "Great!, now I know why you were my favorite Sensei!" she quickly hugged him around the neck. Maybe being the 'favorite Sensei isn't so bad…I mean you can feel her ni-' Kakashi cut off his inner voice before the thought was finished. 'Then again, her other Sensei wouldn't think about her in such a way.' he thought, slightly disgusted with himself at his dirty thoughts pertaining to his student.

Kakashi never thought that picking out an outfit for a date with a woman could be so damn draining. Kakashi stood in the far corner of Sakura's room with piles of clothes surrounding him and more coming his way. A thong landed on his head and he couldn't help but picture her in it…damn it! he threw the pink cotton candy colored piece of clothing to his right, never to be found again…hopefully. 'It's better than picturing her going commando…' he thought bitterly, images resurfacing. "Why don't you just wear this?" he asked, beyond his outfit tolerance limit. "It's a nightgown Kakashi-sensei." she deadpanned.

"Oh…, never mind." he tossed the nightgown aside with the thong that he was trying to forget about. "Here! Perfect!" she started to jump up and down, like a happy little puppy. Kakashi sighed, glad that's over… "Hang on one second!" she said to the now buried Kakashi, or more like she said it to his hair, for that is all you could see after her dumping all of her attire on the poor man. Might as well muscle my way out of this cloth hell…

"Isn't it perfect?" Sakura twirled in a circle, giving the older male a view on all sides. Kakashi was speechless, she looked gorgeous. "You look nice." he swallowed the lump in his throat and responded. "I know!" she gave one more glance in the mirror, who would've thought that a simple dress could look so gorgeous? Kakashi thought to himself as he regarded his ex-student carefully. She was wearing a mid-thigh dress that was black with light pink sakura petals starting at the left shoulder strap and winding down until it reached the bottom right of the fabric.

Kakashi didn't have time to think of a better compliment than 'you look nice.' For Kiba was already knocking at his door. "Oh! I better get going! Don't wanna be late!" something came over Kakashi as he grabbed a hold of her delicate wrist, reveling in the contact (what is happening to me!? His subconscious screamed at him.) she looked up at him, confusion evident in her jade orbs, orbs that Kakashi decided inwardly would be his demise. "I just wanted to say…have fun." he then relented his grip on her wrist and turned his back to her, for he was sure she was looking at him like he was an idiot. Idiot is exactly what he thought of himself. Sakura stood looking at Kakashi's back not sure what she wanted to say, she opted to say "Thanks…I'll be back by 12:00..."

She hurried down the hall to the door that would crack if she made Kiba wait any longer. Kakashi still stood in her room trying to sort out his thoughts. 'There's nothing wrong with thinking that you're ex-student is beautiful…'the less sensible side of himself stated in his inner mind. I need a drink. Kakashi stated this out loud as he grabbed his Jounin vest and headed to the Lucky Shuriken he wasn't going to spy…Sakura and Kiba just happened to be going to the abandoned warehouse across from that very bar.

(….)

Kiba was dressed in a normal pair of black jeans and a wife beater. Sakura felt a little over dressed. "You look gorgeous." Kiba remarked as he slung one of his arms over her shoulder and grinned at her. He really wants this to be special, eh? He didn't even involve Akamaru. She thought to herself perplexed. What exactly are his motives? And why do I have this uncomfortable feeling about his feral like grin? She brushed these thoughts aside, along with Kiba's arm that was slung over her shoulder. He backed off looking a little wounded. She didn't want him to think that she was uninterested by his offer of a date. She smiled at him and said "Thank you, you don't look to bad yourself." she genuinely smiled as he brightened up at her compliment upon his normal, if not mundane like attire. Tonight's going good so far… he thought to himself as they turned onto the street where the party was supposedly being held.

Kakashi was sitting at his usual table with his normal drinking buddies; Genma, Raidou, Kurenai, Asuma, Anko, and Gai. Genma leaned in closer to Kurenai and whispered something lecherous not doubt, only to be slapped upside the head by Kurenai and then kicked under the table by none other than Asuma himself. Genma retreated as if he was burned. Kakashi couldn't help but chuckle from behind his Icha Icha Paradise book. One way to know that the Copy-Ninja is intoxicated is when he starts to chuckle. Anko snickered as Gai outright laughed at his friend. Genma was anything but amused. "Hey, Hatake, isn't that your pretty little roommate?" he said while elbowing said Jounin in the ribs. Kakashi's lone eye moved from the inky pages to Sakura who just entered the bar. "I thought that Inuzaka kid was suppose to be with her?" the senbon-wielding Jounin added to a confused Kakashi.

Something was wrong, Kakashi thought, for he could faintly see puffy red eyes hidden behind a veil of pink tresses as she shielded her face from them as she downed a shot of vodka. Kakashi thought about stopping her from drinking, but who was he to do such a thing? He isn't her father, so why should he bother? With that last thought in his head he turned to Genma as he put his book back into his pouch and stated, "It's none of my business what she does." this got everyone's attention around the table. Gai was, of-course, the first to speak. "My eternal rival! What is wrong with you! It is obvious that something is distressing your Cherry Blossom! You should go to her! She w-" Anko kicked him in the groin, successfully shutting him up mid-rant. _My _Cherry Blossom? Inner Kakashi thought as he outwardly smirked at Gai's current distress from the abuse to his family jewels.

He couldn't stop his mind from lingering on the undoubted truth of his self-proclaimed rival's words. They nagged at him until he was ready to get up and do something about it. However, he beat back this voice with a swig of his untouched sake. "Come on Kakashi, you can't deny the fact that something is obviously wrong with your _friend._" Kurenai whispered to him, for Genma had moved his seat after being slapped and kicked. Kakashi sighed, exasperated with the whole situation of which he didn't know about. One word struck him though, _Friend_… that's right…told you she was your _ex-_student so you can fant- Kakashi stopped that train of thought before it was even finished. He had made up his mind. He stood up, slammed some money down on the table and walked away towards Sakura.

Sakura drank her 7th shot without wincing this time at the sting, reveling in the burning sensation it coated her throat with. _I can't believe that good for nothing Kiba did that to you…_ Sakura shuddered at the mention of the name of her most recent pain. She took it all in stride with yet another shot. She felt somebody familiar flop down next to her. She swung a little too fast on her stool to see who it was and found herself falling backwards towards the grimy, mud-covered bar floor. She didn't expect the person next to her to wrap their arm around her waist and try to haul her back upright. She shuddered as she felt the arm around her waist, memories of that night resurfacing. Instinctively she slapped the arm away and grabbed on the barstool's legs that were next to her.

Kakashi couldn't believe that she would rather fall down and hurt herself than take his help…is she really that drunk? He didn't have time to asses that thought for he was also falling down, the stool legs beneath him were yanked out from under him by none other than Sakura herself. He landed with a 'oof' on top of something…soft.

Sakura felt the undeniable weight of somebody fall on top of her, she roughly pushed at the corpse. Kakashi got onto his hands and knees above her staring her directly in the eye and said, "Easy, it's just me." he wasn't sure if he should laugh or cry at the look of sudden relief and understanding that crossed through her beryl eyes. "Kakashi….." she sobbed, scaring the hell out of said male. Did I do something wrong? I tried to save her! He yelling at himself inwardly, his perplexity showing on the visible portion of his face. He tried not to think about the warmth emanating from her body, or the accidental rub of her inner thigh against his groin area, he bit back a groan. She closed her eyes, trying to stop the moisture from leaking out. Then she heard a noise come from above her. She opened her eyes to look into the lone eye of her former mentor.

He was laughing at her!? She angrily kicked him off of her and stood up just as angrily, mildly surprised that she didn't crack any of Kakashi's ribs with the force of her kick. She felt the sick urge to kick him again for the innocent look that he was now giving her. "I'm going home." she stated, slightly slurred, but he got the point she was sure about it. She stumbled out into the night air and wobbled down the road towards her and Kakashi's apartment. The moon was out and cast an eerily glow on the abused dirt path beneath her tired feet. She tried not to think about the earlier events that led to her alcohol abuse. She turned down an alleyway, hoping that it would get her home faster.

She slunk against the cool brick wall of the alley way, she slumped down until her rear hit the ground. She pulled her knees up against her chest and laid her forehead on top of them. Memories resurfaced, she didn't have the heart nor the will within her to stem them. She could see, in her minds eye, Kiba pushing himself against her as he shoved his hand down her panties as she cried out in a mix of discomfort and pain. Her head felt as if it was spinning as she heard footsteps echo within the alleyway, she didn't look up as she heard Kakashi's voice call out to her, from the sound of it he was at least three feet away. "Sakura…if you stay out here you will get a cold." how can he not be drunk after all of that sake? Sakura thought stupidly as she sobbed and tried her hardest to ignore his presence, but to no avail. She tightened her hold on her kneecaps as he neared her.

"Sakura, come on let's go home." he said trying to soothe her. This is only Kakashi she thought to herself as she looked up at him, his eye making an upside down U. She attempted to stand up only to topple over, into Kakashi's chest. Her face turned a slight shade of pink as she attempted, yet again to straighten herself out again. Kakashi sighed as he lifted her up bridal-style. "W-what are you doing!?" she all but shouted. He didn't reply just 'poofed' them out of the alleyway and into their 'sweet home abode'.

Sakura plopped down onto the couch, suddenly very tired, in every sense of the word. She wanted to scream, cry, kick and basically throw a temper tantrum, despite her age. She however, couldn't find it within her to do any of these things, except cry, which she did. Kakashi didn't know what to do as she started shaking uncontrollably with each intake of breath bringing a new sob and a new tear. He didn't want to admit it out loud, but he felt for her, that all-to familiar but rare pang of sympathy he felt for her tugged at his heart strings, making something well up inside of him, this emotion he did not know of and he dare not dwell on it, for he is sure he shouldn't feel this sympathetic towards a former student.

He put these thoughts away to be brought forth at another time. He opted to rub her back in a friendly manor, but was shocked when she moved away from his consoling touch. "Sakura…what did Kiba do?" he asked, his eyes flashing angrily, for reasons he did not know, he didn't really want to know her answer either, something told him that he was definitely not going to like it. He didn't know why his anger surged through him at her next words "He….he…tried to r-rape me…"

-

**Yea, Yea I know, another Cliffy and you hate me now…I'm sorry about the long wait! Plz Review, and I hope you enjoy it! Until next time,**

**Platti**


	4. Lies and forgotten words

**Yo, Platti here, and HOLY SCHIZER! Thank you all for the reviews on the last chapter, they keep me writing… COOKIES (or brownies) TO YOU ALL!! Without further ado I present to you all chapter four!! **

There are very rare moments in Kakashi's life where he was lost for words, and this was one of them. He just openly gaped at the shaking female form before him, perhaps I should ask her what she said? He thought, no, I may be 'getting old' but I am far from deaf. So many emotions are running through the Copy-Ninja at this moment, most of which he didn't think he wanted to know of. He instead, opted to stick with the most familiar…anger, boiling red hot anger. "Sakura, did he…" he couldn't despite all of his anger, finish the question. "N-no he didn't…I-I kicked him off of me…right before…" now it was her turn to leave her response unfinished.

Kakashi breathed a sigh of relief, at least she is still a virgin, in the most technical sense of the word, to think the last resemblance of her innocence was almost ripped from her forcibly. He shuddered at the thought, it was either the thought that he shuddered at or the new surge of rage mixing with the new surge of sympathy. Kakashi had known some young women who have been raped outside of their jobs, they were scared for life, some of them turned from wholesome young souls into old jaded hags. He didn't want that for Sakura, she deserved so much better. She has one of the biggest hearts that he has ever seen, and I refuse, another sob wracked her body anew, I absolutely refuse to let this slide. He thought to himself as he clenched and unclenched his jaw in time with his fist.

Sakura looked over at Kakashi, he seems very upset…maybe he needs a hug as much as I do? She thought, she didn't give another thought before she turned a little to the side and pounced on the seemingly irate Jounin, crushing their bodies together in a tearful (on Sakura's part) hug. Kakashi didn't expect the sudden contact from his former student. He listened as her sobs increased, going in time with the rain pounding against the side of his apartment. When had the rain started? He thought, almost aloud. He wrapped his arms around Sakura's back and pulled her in closer as he allowed, silently, her to release all of her tears into his sleeveless black shirt. He stared out the window as he spoke up, tightly "Sakura…I'm sorry…I'm sorry that this had to happen to you." he sounded troubled and Sakura pulled away slightly to look at him, only to see him staring out the window, watching the raindrops fall down the streaked glass as if in a race of some sort. "Don't be Sensei…there wasn't anything that you could do about it…"

Kakashi glanced down at his only female student and was awed by the maturity that he now sees in her, when did she grow up so quick? He thought somewhat bitterly, when you were probably focused on Sasuke and Naruto, he thought getting more bitter. She's here now though, and I won't let anybody else hurt her. His thoughts were wiped blank as Sakura spoke sleepily "Thank you…for caring tonight….Kakashi." and she fell into a blissful sleep. Said man sat, dumbfounded, when did she drop the Sensei thing? And what was that emotion in her voice? He decided to dwell on those thoughts later, for now he picked up the pink-haired young woman and put her in her bed.

Kakashi looked at the figure laid out beneath the window in what use to be his guest room. Her pink hair was spread out all over the pillow and she was sucking her thumb. He couldn't help but smile at that, she looked so beautiful. The moonlight spilled over her creamy skin, occasionally broken into little rays by the leftover raindrops falling down the glass of the window. Kakashi stayed for a couple more minutes sucking in all of her beauty, is this what Kiba saw when he did what he did? He thought as anger welled up in him once more at the mere thought of the dog lover. This was why he is going to do this. With one final glance towards the unaware Sakura, he walked out and closed the door behind himself. "Time to scare that Inuzuka." he said softly aloud to himself.

Kiba was sitting in a small café, he wasn't in the mood for an alcoholic drink, he wanted Sakura. His fist slammed onto the table top, scaring all of the waiters and the couple in the back corner of the quaint shop. He growled as the male scowled at him for scaring his girlfriend. "You're tea, Sir." a brave waitress meekly said to him as she set down the cup and saucer in front of him. He didn't reply just started to drink his tea and shooed away the 'unwelcome' waitress. Kiba felt a little guilty for trying to rape Sakura, but he couldn't help it, she is just so beautiful and they way she laughs…she is just so….delicious. I don't think that I will be doing much of anything with that kick to the groin she gave me. His lip curled over his teeth in disgust as he remembered the pulsing pain that she had brought upon his family jewels, they weren't covered either he thought bitterly. I hope she doesn't tell anybody…I don't think that I can handle a pissed off Tsunade after me…and then there's Uzumaki and Uchiha to worry about. He was in deep and he knew it…he didn't even get the piece of ass that he wanted out of it either….but boy was he going to.

Kakashi searched the surrounding area of the warehouse and the bars around it including the Lucky Shuriken. His anger only simmered more dangerously as he came up short in his search. He didn't even stop to think what he was going to do when he did come across Kiba. Maybe he should get Sasuke and Naruto to help him? Maybe not Naruto, he thought, remembering Yamato's account on Naruto's fight with Orochimaru years ago. Sasuke might help though with his Sharingan he would be able to find Kiba's chakra trail a lot easier than himself…but then again Naruto does have his shadow clones…then both of them it is, Kakashi stated out loud in a decisive tone.

"Oi, Kaka-sensei, it's eleven 'o clock at night, whaddya want?" Naruto slurred sleepily. "Well…I need your help to find Kiba…" Naruto didn't look at all pleased with Kakashi's excuse for his wake up call. "Whatever…give me a sec." he disappeared into his house and came back out dressed in his normal orange outfit complete with the head-band with the leaf insignia. "Where are we goin' now?" he was awake now, awake and definitely curious as to what exactly they were going to do. "We're going to get Sasuke." Kakashi didn't feel like listening to Naruto whining about why Sasuke had to join in and why wasn't he enough to find Kiba so he added, "No complaining this is important." Naruto did as he was told, he didn't like the undertone in Kakashi's voice, what exactly was going on here? Since when did Kakashi even associate with Kiba besides that one time when they went out in search of Akatsuki with them.

"Kakashi." was Sasuke's only response to the blonde haired blue-eyed man and the taller silver haired man's wake up call, why is everybody asleep this early? Kakashi mused to himself. "We need your help to find Kiba Inuzuka." Kakashi wasn't going to beat around the bush either. "Why?" the Jounin sighed, now he knew why Sasuke's inquisitiveness was always so damn annoying at times. "I'll tell you once we get moving." Kakashi stated and didn't miss Naruto's excited like look, he must've been dying to ask that same question. Doesn't surprise me, Kakashi thought. They headed out, jumping from rooftop to rooftop above the seemingly sleeping Konoha. Sasuke grunted from Kakashi's right hand side and Naruto asked the question this time, "Why are we looking for Kiba all of a sudden? Is it for an upcoming mission or something?" his blue eyes sparkled as the curiosity seeped through them. "Kiba tried…" he couldn't believe he was freezing now of all times, why can't he say it to them? "What did he try?" Naruto asked absolutely clueless, as was Sasuke. "He tried to rape Sakura." there it was out. As soon as the words left his mouth, the air became charged with hatred and anger. Kakashi chanced a glance towards Naruto and saw his eyes fade from blue to a deep red, the Kyuubi's eyes. He chanced a glance at Sasuke also, only too see black give way to red and black eyes, his Sharingan were now activated. "You can't jump in and just hurt him guys, and you can't tell Sakura about you two knowing, I am sure that she just wanted this to be between me and her, and definitely don't tell Tsunade." he waited until he got the affirmative nods from both the blonde head and the ebony colored head. "Good, now Sasuke, with your Sharingan do you see Kiba's chakra trail?"

Genma sat and listened to Anko's suggestive comments towards Iruka and Iruka's babbling enough "Iruka, why don't you and Anko go somewhere more…private?" Iruka's face rivaled that of a fresh tomato and Anko couldn't help the triumphant smirk that crossed her usual playful features even though she didn't come on strong enough for the romance challenged academy teacher. "I-I…don't know." Iruka couldn't help the nervousness that had leaked into his voice, he didn't know about it at all…so he wasn't lying. He had heard rumors about Anko's scariness in that particular aspect of her life. "Oh come on Iruka-sensei." Anko purred into the scar-nosed ninja's ear making him shiver. "O-okay." and they were off. "Finally." Genma decided to kick back, that was until he heard a huge crash that shook the whole Earth it seemed, "Are we under attack?" he heard a score of ninja around the bar say around him. "I don't know." he said when they looked his way. He was about to find out though.

Naruto stood in the midst of the debris his eyes still blood red as he looked over at Kakashi who's hand emitted out an electric blue and faded back to normal. "Kaka-sensei…you said not to start anything…" Naruto said indignantly to his former Sensei. The silver haired Jounin didn't respond as he looked from the crater he had made, purposely to a wide-eyed Kiba. Sasuke stood next to a very pissed Kakashi and an even more pissed Naruto. "What the fuck was that for?" Kiba yelled at Kakashi while calling Akamaru, if they wanted to play, he was going to go all out. "We didn't come here to have an all-out fight." Kakashi stated coolly as he saw Kiba's dog Akamaru approach. "Then what do you call attacking me with Chidori? And bringing Sasuke and Naruto along with you?" Kiba snarled as he put his hand on Akamaru's oversized head and started to pet him. Naruto narrowed his eyes, as Sasuke did the same, this was that sick pervert who had hurt Sakura. Kakashi seemed to stay somewhat level-headed. "I wouldn't have missed if I had gone after you with the intention of hurting you." Kakashi kept up his calm façade. "That still didn't answer the question of exactly what that was for, you apparently have a reason, do you not?" Kiba all but spat at the older man. Something about how or what he said had Kakashi snarling back at the younger man. "You know damn well why we are here, and if I find out about you trying anything with Sakura again….somebody better help you, because the next Chidori won't miss." at this point in the conversation Kakashi was standing dangerously close to the dog trainer, so close in fact that he could smell Kiba's breath through the mask. "All of this trouble for me not even to finish getting a piece of a-" he couldn't finish his sentence, for he was knocked through every brick-wall imaginable by the alleyway behind his rickety apartment building.

Sasuke looked over at Kakashi, shocked, "Kakashi…don't you think that was a little, hard?" he tried not to get onto his old sensei's bad side, at this critical point in his mood swing, it wouldn't be to healthy. Naruto put his hand on Kakashi's shoulder and looked over at Sasuke then back to the man who's shoulder was sporting his hand. "Kakashi-sensei, we should get going, I can sense a lot of people coming." he nodded his head in Sasuke's direction, "Yea, we should go." Sasuke added with a little unheard coercing from his blonde teammate and longtime friend. "…Sure." Kakashi snapped out of his trance. The trio sped off into the night, hopping from rooftop to rooftop as a figure in the shadows watched on as they disappeared. "What the hell happened to you, Kiba?" Genma asked the injured Inuzuka as he helped him up. "Nothing…just a friendly spar…" Genma and the other's didn't believe him, but they were quickly shushed as Genma raised his hand for silence as soon as the questions began to spill forth. They only stopped because they respected Genma.

--

Sakura woke up with a headache. She absolutely hates waking up with a headache, especially since she needs to go to work today. She looked at the alarm clock with a vengeance as the red numbers glared back at her: 6:00. She had no choice now did she? She had to be at work in an hour, I deserve a break especially after…. She stopped that train of thought, I will not think about that. She strengthened her will to get out of bed and ready for working the 7 to 3 shift at the hospital today. She grumbled to herself about the unfairness of having to work today all the way to the shower.

Kakashi heard as Sakura snuck out of her room almost silently as to not wake him up and closed the bathroom door behind her with a soft 'click' sound. I should probably get up as well…he mulled over the thought of actually getting up, he felt extremely lazy as he stretched into an arch on his bed to crack every joint in his body that he could. He then proceeded to slink out of bed and towards his closet to gather today's clothes. "I think that I will make breakfast today…she's had a rough night." he mumbled aloud as he padded down the cold hallway floor to the even colder kitchen floor in search of what to make. 'What to make for my Sakura-chan?' he thought to himself as he went about searching through his seemingly threadbare cabinets. He was doing that, until he re-wound what he had just thought in his mind's eye, 'since when have I become accustomed to calling Sakura mine?' he suddenly felt like an old pervert. How can I think that way of Sakura after what she was put through last night? He swallowed down the bile in his throat that threatened to spill out as images he had imagined of Sakura and Kiba surfaced again, he had laid in his bed all night and all morning trying to snuff them out, to no avail.

"It usually helps if you put the frying pan onto the stovetop." Sakura stated in an almost false cheeriness. Kakashi glanced over at her and smiled back at her own smiling face, the smile didn't reach her eyes though, and for a moment he compared her to the older more jaded women that he has come to know and befriend. He shuddered at the thought of Sakura becoming so old and jaded, he didn't want that for her. Then again, what do I really want for her? Kakashi stopped getting surprised at his own thoughts after the third one like this one had popped into his head successfully. "You listening?" her voice drifted over to him as he automatically flipped the pancake in the frying pan and caught it once again. "Hm." that would be a no. "I asked if we are going to get any missions soon?" Kakashi couldn't understand why she would be asking him this, she was normally the first person on the team to complain about even getting a mission. "We have one in a couple of days." he smiled at her as he plopped two eggs on her plate with home fries. He sat across from her without a plate or anything to eat with. She looked at him, her face and eyes blank. "Aren't you going to ask to see my face?" Kakashi said in a mocking tone. Sakura just shook her head and dug into her own food.

Tsunade needed another drink, no scratch that she needed another bottle if she were to listen any further to this account of a random ninja mugging. "You didn't see anybody around the area where you found Kiba?" Tsunade fixed her gaze upon the senbon sucker in front of her desk. "We didn't see anybody within the vicinity, not a soul who could make such a big crater and do so much damage." Genma switched his weight to his left side and did the same with his ever-present senbon. "I see…" the Hokage looked up just in time to see a pained expression cross over Genma's features. "What is it?" Genma looked out the window as he spoke, "I think that it may have been your old apprentice, Sakura Haruno." there, it was out finally, he thought as he did the victory dance in his head for being able to spill his thoughts finally. "That's impossible…she was just recently on a date with him, at least that is what the previously interviewed witnesses had said." Tsunade put her head on her intertwined fingers and a look of deep contemplation crossed her beautiful features. "You are dismissed, leave the rest to me, thank you." she waved off the Jounin in a hurry.

"Thank you for the breakfast, Kakashi, it was good…" Sakura trailed off, Kakashi looked at her expectantly. "You want to say something else?, don't be afraid to ask." he tried to calmly reassure her into telling him what it was. "Can…can you not tell anybody about Kiba?, I don't want to be a part of the gossip mill…and Tsunade-sama mustn't know…please?" she seemed so fragile as she asked her elder to hold a secret for her. Kakashi's features (what you could see of them.) softened as he reached his hand over the table top towards Sakura's own. He couldn't help but feel hurt as she flinched and jumped back a little as his hand drew closer. 'Does she honestly think she can't trust me? I wouldn't do anything like that to her…then again…she never thought that Kiba would do something like that to her also.' Sakura could see the inner turmoil that Kakashi was facing and she felt bad…she just can't trust anybody…not for a little while at least. "I'm sorry…" she couldn't' find the right emotion to put into those two over-spoken words so she opted to not put any emotion into them what-so-ever. "I will keep this from everybody…if that is what you truly desire." he couldn't bring himself to tell her about last nights happenings, she would never even look at him if she ever found out that he told Naruto and Sasuke, let alone that he had harmed Kiba in a rare fit of rage. "I have to go to work." he barely registered her tight words. His silver hair flopped into his one visible eye as he shook his head affirmative. When he heard the door close he slammed his head against the kitchen table, how was he going to keep this all under wraps when, if, somebody finds out that it was him that injured Kiba? "I'm in a load of shit." Kakashi swore out loud as he shuffled his way out the door.

It is the only way to find out if Genma's theory is right, Tsunade kept telling herself this as she paced around her office awaiting a certain pink-haired Kunoichi's appearance. "Come in." Tsunade rushed to sit down in her chair, papers flying in all different directions in her wake. "I am to hand in my completed patient charts, Tsunade-sama." Sakura bowed as she handed over the said charts. Tsunade didn't take them however. "Sakura, I would like you to see to one more patient before you call it a day early." the blonde bombshell waited for Sakura to look up at her before she continued speaking. Sakura looked up with a almost pained-dead-pale look. "Who?" she didn't want to beat around the bush, eh? Then neither would Tsunade. "Kiba Inuzuka." Tsunade was expecting maybe an angry look to cross her old apprentice's face, she however, wasn't expecting fear. "Maybe, Rio can cover for me?" her voice was small and meek nothing at all like the Sakura that she knew. "Fine…have Rio cover for you then…" the pink haired woman did not wait for any other words to be spoken, she hurriedly shoved her documents into the Hokage's arms and ran out the door in search for her relief medic.

Ino waited as patiently as she could for her friend to arrive at their designated meeting point. "If she doesn't arrive I swear to God!!, I have some juicy gossip for her that she is going to love." Ino almost pumped her fist into the air but at the last moment was able to refrain herself from doing so. Sakura bounded around the corner onto Main St. of Konoha, she was so dead for being late to her annual meeting with Ino! She hadn't even changed out of her hospital uniform! She saw her blonde friend in the window of the café they had decided upon, and boy did she not look in the least bit happy.

Sakura stared opened mouthed at Ino, "So you're saying that Kakashi attacked Kiba with Naruto and Sasuke?, and now they are all conveniently missing?!" Ino only shook her head. "I am so going to kill Kakashi."

**Thank you all for reading, I'm sorry I don't mean it to be a cliffy in any way what so ever, I just needed to stop somewhere. I will not be able to update for about a week and a half or so, I am going on vacation, so I made this one extra long because of that! . PLEASE REVIEW!!**


	5. Fights and Missing nins

**Yo, Platti here! Yet again, I will say I DON'T OWN NARUTO!!, now that that is over, I am back from vacation (I had a blast)! And without any further stalling….I present to you CHAPTER FIVE OF THE NEW ROOMMATE!! D DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW YOU BUMS!! IT'S NOT THAT HARD!! WOOHOOO 9,000 WORDS YAY ME!!**

**-**

**--** Kakashi's right ear started to ring. "I think somebody's talking about me…" he didn't want to think about who it was, but he was sure who it was, Sakura. "How do you know that Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked perplexed as he avoided the faulty branch ahead of him. "It's a superstition, Naruto." Kakashi sighed, _how do I get stuck with such an idiotic teammate?_ Sasuke snorted from a couple of branches ahead, "You do realize that Sakura is going to find out about what you did to Kiba…she does work in the hospital today…don't you remember, that's why she's not on this mission with us." Kakashi knew that she _did_ work in the hospital today. "We don't need to worry about anything, there's no way that she could figure out that it was us, Kiba's pride will keep him from telling her." Kakashi's tone of voice sounded as if he were trying more to convince himself than his fellow teammates. "What do you mean by 'us'?, Do you have a mouse in your pocket?" Sasuke said with a look of disbelief on his face and a sarcastic air around him. The silver-haired man just grunted in the Uchiha's direction as Naruto kept quiet, something just wasn't settling well with him about this whole thing. Naruto isn't as stupid as most people make him out to be, he was just not as bright in other aspects, but when it comes to his friends, he is smart…and perceptive.

Ino stared at her friend as she started out with expletive after expletive. "Sakura…what happened?" "Sasuke and Naruto hit him too?…then that means that Kakashi….oh god he is so DEAD!!" Sakura got up and stormed out of the café leaving a very confused blonde friend behind her. "She still didn't tell me what's going on…" Ino sighed as she took a sip of her green tea, she's determined to get to the bottom of all of this mess, even if it kills her.

Shizune isn't one to complain about helping Tsunade out, but that's only when she _isn't _mad. "I can't believe that Hatake would do something that stupid! I'm going to have to punish him if it all comes out true…he better have a damn good reason for doing that, and to drag Uzumaki and Uchiha in with him…I never thought I'd say this about him, but how irresponsible!" Sakura stood outside of the Hokage office door listening to Tsunade rant and rave about Kakashi's latest misadventure, so it was true, wasn't it? Sakura felt as if she was going to be sick to her stomach _I can't believe that he would tell Sasuke and Naruto, out of all people to tell…_ At just the thought of him _avoiding _her after telling his other teammates made the anger within her boil even further. "Come in Sakura, unless you are admiring the door?" Tsunade's voice drifted through from inside the office. Sakura blushed at being caught eavesdropping on the older woman's conversation with Shizune. Said Hokage wasn't looking to pleased when the pink haired shinobi walked into the room. "Yes, Sakura, what is it that you need?" she sounded tired for how young she looked. "I need to know where exactly Sasuke, Naruto and Kakashi went for their mission." she tried her hardest to keep the growl out of her voice, with very little success. "You know that I can't give you that type of information, Sakura, it's classified." the Sannin's voice bordered monotone, as if she was reading it out of a text book, which wouldn't have surprised Sakura, had she not known her as well as she does. "Then make it unclassified, they are my teammates, I couldn't make it to that mission because of work hours, so it should not be classified for my knowledge." Sakura could no longer disclose the anger from her voice.

"Who do you think you are talking to like that!?" Tsunade stood up and slammed her hands down on her desk, making creaking noises fill the suddenly strained air. "I need to speak with my teammates, it is very urgent." Sakura kept her lips in a tight line, she's trying not to get punched through the wall behind her, she prefers walking out doors on her own. "Why don't you tell me then I can send a summon out to them with your message." _This woman just has alternatives to everything, doesn't she?_ Sakura thought to herself angrily. "No, it has to be in person." her anger level was rising dangerously fast. Temper in tight control she spoke again, "Please, Tsunade-sama." maybe if she was polite about it she wouldn't be so bitchy. "Sakura…" she was cracking, Sakura could tell just a little bit more of a push and she would crack completely. "They should be on the outskirts of the fire country…you should be able to get to them by the end of tonight." the older woman's voice sounded like she was extremely tired. "Thank you." Sakura stated bluntly as she hopped out the open window closest to her and set off towards her apartment to gear up with her ninja equipment.

Naruto looked up at the stars from his spot around the fire. A streak of white went across the sky, "Make a wish." he whispered to himself as he closed his eyes, _I wish that Sakura can make it through this all…with minimal damage, mental and emotional._ The wind picked up and rustled his blonde-spiky hair around his face. He slowly opened his eyes and brought his eyes to the fire's level and stared into the depths of the flames. "Dobe." Naruto snapped his head up to half-heartedly glare at his black haired friend/rival from across the fire. "What?" he asked tactlessly. "Are you going to eat or what?" He sounded a little concerned for Naruto. "Oh, thanks." Naruto didn't need anymore of an invitation to eat his own bowl of instant ramen.

Kakashi had already finished his food without giving either of his ex-students the chance to peek at his face, even though they had tried sneakily to do so. The only reason that he hasn't shown them his true face yet is because all of their little ideas and scams to get the mask off of him are much to amusing to him to put an end to them. They would eventually see it, all of them…Sakura too. At the thought of Sakura's name Kakashi couldn't help but feel guilty, he had basically promised her that he wouldn't tell anybody _after_ he had put her attacker in the hospital _and _told the two people that she probably didn't want to know the most. He couldn't help the images of Kiba and Sakura from forming in his mind's eye, it definitely didn't portray any type of consensual behavior on Sakura's part…which made it even worse for him to picture it all. The bile rose in his throat at the thought of it all. He could've stopped it, he was right across the street from it all…yet he didn't hear her screams, his groans. He could only imagine that she gave up screaming after nobody came to her rescue, her nails probably stopped scratching and all of the strength probably left her body. She did, however gain a little burst of energy and willpower to kick him off of her before it was all to late, and for that he would be eternally proud of her. The amount of pride he felt for her was great, but not great enough to snuff out the guilt that he couldn't sense her distress from across the street, he was too damn busy trying to drown himself in his friends worthless gossip. The pride didn't even snuff out the guilt he felt for his heart slowly making room for her within it. _I hope she understands that I didn't do it to embarrass her, nor did I do it to break any unspoken promises made to me when she came to me for comfort after the fact. I did it to protect her…because I care for her…maybe more than I should._ With these last thoughts plaguing his already troubled mind, Kakashi told Sasuke he was taking watch first, then himself then Naruto, and drifted off into a fitful sleep.

Sakura watched as emotions rarely shown and kept hidden flit across in a slideshow in Kakashi's lone eye right before he fell asleep, one look kept eating at her, why was he feeling guilty? She couldn't help the feeling of confusion that swept over her as she tried to decipher just what the Copy-ninja was thinking and what the other emotions displayed in that lonely orb were. She hadn't the slightest clue, she had never really seen him display so much emotion at one time. This revelation of her 'roommate' and ex-teacher lessened her anger, just a bit. She still had a big bone to pick with him when she let her presence be known. She looked over her other teammates as well, she was mildly surprised that Sasuke hadn't sensed her yet, he was supposedly the self-proclaimed strongest member of Team Kakashi. She stifled the giggle that threatened to escape at the thought of Sasuke learning that he can't even detect his own friend, who he claimed to be the 'weak' link of the team. She noticed how he sat on the tree branch and admired the half-moon in the sky above him. Whether he was looking at the moon or the leaves swaying above his head in the almost non-existent wind was hard to tell. When she was younger and on Team 7 before and even _after_ Sasuke left, she would have swooned at the thought of being able to see Sasuke in such a vulnerable mood and the ethereal glow of the moonlight playing over his features. Sakura didn't find herself looking at _Sasuke_ glowing in the moons illuminating light…she was looking at Kakashi. _He looks so peaceful_ she thought to herself as she sighed, oh so imperceptibly. Even though she could only see his one closed eye, she could tell that he was indeed a handsome man underneath that mask, she could just tell. His headband was off and laying next to him, half-clutched in his pale hand and half splayed across the forest floor.

His hair looked even more surreal underneath the light of the moon. She could see his scared eyelid as she moved her eyes down to his chest and observed it as he inhaled and exhaled, not making a sound. You would have to look extra close to see if he was definitely breathing or not. She could tell, that even though he slept in his Jounin issued uniform, that he was very well built underneath the bagginess of the clothes. She couldn't help herself as her eyesight traveled even _further_ south to a place where she knew she shouldn't be looking. The sound of his voice made her get goose-bumps and jump at the same time. "Sakura, why don't you come out of the bushes, or are you still looking?" he couldn't keep the mix of emotions out of his voice. It was a mix of sarcasm, light-heartedness, amusement, and….guiltiness? She half scowled, half-smiled at the older male. She couldn't help but still be angry and upset with him. He had to have known she was for he looked a tad bit nervous as he sat up and scratched the back of his head in his normal Kakashi-like way. Sakura didn't whether to be mad or embarrassed, so she decided to just be mad, even though her reddened face gave it all away. "It's funny seeing you out here…in the middle of nowhere…" Kakashi said with an air of dry sarcasm. "What makes you think that I'm not mad at you right now Kakashi Hatake?" Sakura's anger flared at his next words, "What would you be mad at me for?" he tried to feign innocence. "What did you do!?, try telling Naruto and Sasuke without even thinking if I would mind or not! Then you severely hurt Kiba! Who do you think would have to heal him?! Hmm? Who do you think was volunteered by Tsunade?" Sakura's anger was quite evident now to all those around (Sasuke and Naruto) the blonde haired shinobi was awoken by Sakura's angry shouting. "You do know that we are on a mission, correct?" Kakashi stated in his failsafe 'teacher mode'.

Sakura couldn't help but stand there with her arms crossed over her breasts looking at the silver haired Jounin with a killer intent in her emerald depths. "Yes I am aware of this, _sensei._" she knew he hated it when she called him just sensei, especially in that mocking voice. "Then you should know not to shout especially when we are on the border of the Earth Country!" Kakashi's voice was rising, his anger was a cover up for the guiltiness and other emotions that he couldn't sort through. He, like Sakura, had a short temper even though he usually is well seasoned at keeping this unknown to most around him shinobi and civilian alike. "I don't care where we are! I want to know what is wrong with you! One moment your telling me that you won't tell anybody about Kiba, and the next minute you disappear and I hear from Ino that you were the one who put Kiba in the hospital!" she couldn't keep her anger and voice down even if she had tried, it was to taxing of a task for her at the moment. Sasuke and Naruto just stood on the sidelines silently, neither of them wanting to be on the receiving end of Sakura's wrath themselves, every man for themselves was what they were thinking for right now. "Why does it matter?, are you trying to protect the one who tried to rape you? You should be mad at him, _not me_." Kakashi was eerily calm all of a sudden, as if he had just suddenly gotten a hold onto his emotions after letting them run rampant for a couple of moments. "Why did you have to do anything!? Why did you drag Naruto and Sasuke into this mess too!? Is this what your word means anymore?, who else have you told?" her anger was nowhere near being in control like Kakashi's. "I haven't told anybody else, and I had told Naruto and Sasuke long before I gave you my word."

"Are you just fishing for excuses now, Kakashi?" she couldn't help it, she knew that she wasn't going to bother pulling any punches if he wasn't. "No." the typical one-worded response from Kakashi, Sakura had expected none less from him. "And I am _not_ trying to protect Kiba, I just don't see why you had to get involved in it all as far as physical and emotional." Sakura knew that was a little harsh and she could tell by Kakashi's face that it stung him a little bit. "You came to me for comfort…" he didn't know what else to say, he thought that he was justified in his actions. "I came to you for comfort as a friend, not a bodyguard, Kakashi." they both seemed tired and unable to continue at such an intense anger level. "I just don't understand why you should care…I mean…you where never really there for me, is it wrong for me to expect the same you gave to me for years?" Kakashi's eyes (His headband is still off) widened at her words. "Sakura…I…" for once in his life, Kakashi had no idea what to say, it was definitely a rare moment indeed, one that he hopes should not arise once again. "I'll let you guys get back to your mission." she turned to leave, "Wait, come with us." Naruto said with a hint of a pleading tone. "I have work in the morning, besides, my name isn't on the mission scroll." she couldn't hide the cold bitter tone that colored her voice as she thought about all of the other times she had been left out of 'Team activities'. She turned and disappeared into the trees, one branch at a time she made her way back to Konoha.

As she rushed towards home, she let the tears fall silently, almost stealthily to the forest floor beneath her. _**What did you expect? **_Sakura's inner voice asked, for the first time in a while it came out. _I don't know, just go away, and stay away. _Sakura wasn't normally this mean to her inner voice but she didn't want to discuss her outside problems with her inner self, it would only make it worse. She couldn't help but linger on the question though, What did I expect? Sakura thought to herself as she stopped and dropped to the ground about four or five miles from the village gates. She slid down the trunk of the tree she jumped down from. "I don't know." she whispered into the cool wind. She looked up to the moon and stars for the umpteenth time that evening, as if looking for the answers from above. _The least that Kakashi could have done was stop me in some way, and acted as if he cared that he hurt me…how could he even think that I would try to protect that dog loving bastard? It's probably asking to much from him. _She couldn't help the tears that started to fall harder, she didn't know for sure why she was crying, but she knew it was because she had come to like Kakashi, more than she should.

Kakashi turned to look at Naruto and Sasuke with hardened eyes and said, "Back to what you were doing, Sasuke you go to bed, I'll take watch for the night, I suddenly don't feel to tired anymore." Sasuke and Naruto exchanged weird glances as if they could decipher their friend/captain/teammates new sudden behavior. They however, did not dare object to his orders. Naruto headed back to his uncomfortable bedroll as did Sasuke. Kakashi perched himself on the same branch that Sasuke had sat on before Sakura's visit. He couldn't help but feel even more guilty about not only letting Sakura down tonight, but for all of the times he had ignored her in favor for Sasuke or Naruto in the past. Her words had cut him deeper than any kunai knife ever had or ever could've. They way she said it was uncharacteristically cold for her normal attitude. He hadn't noticed that she had felt that way for so long, why hadn't she said anything before tonight? Kakashi knew that he had done her wrong as a teacher and now as a friend, she never would've become such a strong Kunoichi under his own care, he couldn't take credit for her abilities. He didn't have any qualms with stating that to himself, but now once he thought about it, he realized just how much he could've taught her. Had he taken the time to help her blossom, he might not be as jaded and guilty as he is now when it comes to her. Kakashi no doubt, like any other human being shinobi or not, has made colossal mistakes, and this was one of them. He wasn't, for the first time in a long time, thinking straightly. "I will try to make it all up to you, Sakura, I promise." Kakashi whispered this into the cool night air just as wind swept him by.

Naruto couldn't help but smile as he heard his old sensei's whispered words, he looked over at Sasuke and nodded while returning the smile that the Uchiha gave him, which was rare nowadays anymore. However, Naruto still couldn't shake the bad feeling that had settled in the bottom of his stomach. Something big was coming, and he knew it well.

Sakura had never been so mentally, physically and emotionally drained in a long time, not since her Sasuke-saving days where over. She trudged down the well known path to the village and couldn't' help but hear the rustle in a bush off to her left, about six meters away. "Who's there?" she said cautiously as she readied her hand to grab the hidden kunai on her upper thigh. She heard a chuckle come from the rustling bush. She had her hands gripped around the kunai and slowly pulled it out and held it threateningly in her right, dominant hand. "I'll ask once again, who's there? Come out! Show yourself!" she was getting a little jumpy now, anticipating an ambush will do that to somebody. "My, my, isn't somebody a little shaky today?" she knew that voice, it haunted her dreams recently. "Kiba…aren't you suppose to be in the hospital." she stated more than asked in a shaky voice non-too threatening. "No, I heal fast, besides your 'lover' didn't do too much damage, not as much as he could've." he sneered somewhere near her right ear. Her knuckles turned white from gripping her kunai handle so tightly. "Oh darn." she tried to sound a little less shaken by his presence. He laughed again, only this time more hollow, more sinister, and closer to her body.

"You know, I didn't get to finish what I started last time." he kissed under her right earlobe. Sakura was helpless, she froze, she couldn't think straight, _how am I going to get away!?_ her inner voice was going crazy trying to get her body to reply to her basic brain functioning. Her heart started to palpitate at amazingly fast speeds, her eyes darted back and forth looking for an escape route of some sort. How did he know where I am!? How am I suppose to get back to the village?! I'm still six miles away from it! In that moment, as she felt Kiba grab her ass, a memory flashed behind her suddenly closed eyelids. _Sakura stood and looked up at her father as he was about to take his leave, leaving her all alone with no place to go, "Sakura, you know that I do love you…and that I will come back for you one day…don't forget to live your life how you want it…don't ever let anybody take advantage of you…in any way whatsoever…I want you to promise me that." the five year old Sakura had tears streaming down her unusually sad face as she clutched onto her fathers pant leg and begged him not to leave her here, "Daddy I love you too…don't leave me here! Daddy's who really love their kids don't do that!!" she tightened her grip on his black sweat-pants. "Sakura…please know that this is for the best…for you…I'm doing this for you…" he seemed to be choking on his own unshed tears. "LIAR!" Sakura screamed over and over to her fathers retreating back as he walked away hurriedly through the main Konoha gates…never to be seen again… "I promise Daddy_…" _Kurisu Haruno died the next week._ Sakura couldn't help the flood of tears as she remembered that day as if it were just that morning. I made a promise! She said determinedly in her mind as she reared backwards and smashed her head upwards into Kiba's chin making him jump back and clutch his jaw. "You bitch!" he shouted as he leered towards her trying to make his move. "You'll pay for that…and I _will _get what I want!" he shouted once more as he lunged forward.

"Man that mission was stupid! To believe that they didn't need us after all of that traveling!" Naruto was back to his normally whiney voice. A big change from his soberness the other night before and after Sakura's visit to their 'camp'. Kakashi couldn't help but mope at the thought of Sakura. Sasuke noticed this but he kept his mouth shut, luckily. The last thing that the Copy-Ninja needed right now was a nagging Uchiha _and_ a whiney Uzumaki on his hands, as if they weren't already filled up enough on their other teammate. He sighed, I need some alcohol at this rate, he thought bitterly. Naruto looked over at his team leader and spoke seriously for the first time since last night before their 'dinner' "Kakashi-sensei, you need to straighten things out between you and Sakura, I can tell that you two like each other more than a friendship-way." he didn't give Kakashi a chance to answer before he walked through the main gates into the village and left towards his own home, Kakashi would have to fill out the mission report alone, yet again. "Bums." he mumbled under his breath as he headed towards the memorial stone, the Hokage could wait for now.

He had expected to be alone on his visit to his most sacred place since he was nine. "Sakura?" he whispered, almost unheard by said woman. She didn't look up, she kept her head bowed, little wet drops falling to the ground by her bent knees. "Sakura, what's wrong?" he couldn't help but feel his heart clench as she looked up at him, directly in the eye. Smokey gray clashed with bloodshot and puffy emerald as they stared at each other for what seemed like hours which in all reality was really only seconds. Sakura stood up on her feet and made her way past Kakashi. "I'm sorry, Kakashi, I didn't' know that you had an appointment with the stone yet." she couldn't see the or smile or hear the dry chuckle as she walked away, he called out to her retreating back, "I always make mistakes don't I? As long as I make mistakes, I will have appointments with this 'stone'." he bent down and bent his head in a prayer as Sakura stared at his back and smiled a little, "Don't worry, we all make mistakes, you just dwell on them to much…I'm sorry Kakashi, I overreacted and I didn't mean what I said about you never caring…I just." Kakashi walked up until his was almost chest-to-chest with her and said, "Don't worry about it. I know that we all do, and I don't dwell, they linger." he put his thumb on her cheek and wiped away the excess tears, at least she didn't flinch this time. "Did you have an epiphany?" he asked almost solemnly as he noticed her non-flinching today. "I guess you could say that I faced myself last-night…and I gave Kiba a run for his money, I won't have to be afraid anymore or shy away from you." she said the last part almost to quietly for the older adult. He lifted her chin up with his thumb and fore finger

"Really?" he said with sincerity and kindness shining in his one eye. "Really." she confirmed as they grew closer together. Her breath hitched as he neared her face. What is he doing? She thought as her inner voice snickered at her naiveté _**what do you think he is going to do? Compliment you on your eyes that close to your face? **_Sakura smiled outwardly as she closed the distance between her and Kakashi. Fireworks seemed to explode all around them as they stayed embraced within each other, lips meshed together in a fiery hot passion of which Sakura had no idea any of them possessed. Time seemed to freeze as Kakashi snuck his mask down and flesh met flesh and tongues began to clash.

Jiraiya sat in Tsunade's office listening to the woman rant and rave about something to do with Kakashi, his number one customer and fan. "I still can't believe that Kiba is in the hospital yet again! Wait until I get my hands on that damned Copy-Ninja! He better have a good reason!" Jiraiya had had enough of it all and decided to speak up against his (manly) health. "Don't you think that maybe you should ask Kakashi or Kiba what brought this all about?" Tsunade stopped pacing for a second and her eyes brightened and widened "Brilliant Jiraiya! I didn't know that you had it in you!" she gave her old friend a hug as she rushed out the door in search for a nurse to direct her to the Inuzuka's room. Jiraiya stayed glued to his seat and started to laugh almost uncontrollably. "The sad thing is she didn't think of that herself and she's suppose to be the Hokage!" he nearly soiled himself as the door opened up again and Tsunade poked her head in and said, "Shut up! Before I punch your lights out!" Jiraiya suddenly turned a little pale "Yes ma'am." he swallowed the lump in his throat as she rushed out the door again.

Kiba can't take it anymore, he's been stuck in this damn hospital room since last night, he hates being in the hospital for longer than two hours, something about his hypersensitive nose no doubt had something to do with this. He had four or five lacerations, a broken knee and ankle, a broken arm, a broken nose and his manhood aches, if it is even still there after that last brutal knee. He lifted his head as he heard the door open, he didn't feel like seeing any visitors right now, he had finally given up on Sakura thanks to her attack mode last night, he didn't want Kakashi, Sasuke and Naruto to visit him again…_there is no doubt that they already know that I tried again, _he thought to himself with a little cringe. "Kiba, we need to discuss exactly why you are in this position health wise." Tsunade looked at the body occupying one of her hospital beds. Kiba's eyes widened and fear colored both his eyes and voice, "What do you mean?" surprisingly, he didn't stutter. _Did she find out about everything? Oh shit, if I thought Hatake was bad…_ his train of thought was cut off as Tsunade spoke again, "I need to know why all of this has been happening, and don't you dare deny that you got attacked I already know everything, Kakashi doesn't ever attack somebody of the same village let alone _twice._" Kiba looked surprised, no longer afraid, for if she didn't know the truth, he still had time to lie about the whole ordeal.

Sakura looked at Kakashi with lust filled eyes, "Wow…" she couldn't find anything else to say, not only did she kiss him, she is also able to admire his true face. "Is it that bad?" Kakashi asked almost in an mock insecure voice. "No…it's just…wow." she didn't know what to do when he started to laugh, was he laughing at her? Is this all a joke? "What's so funny?" the spark of lust gone from her eyes, now replaced with defensive anger. "You're so cute." he said as he gave her a playful flick on the nose and turned towards the road again. "I have a mission report to give to Tsunade…I'll see you back home?" Kakashi looked down at Sakura's slightly reddened face as she nodded. He patted her head in a lovingly manner, pulled up his mask and he was off towards the Hokage Tower.

"So are you going to tell me what exactly is going on that you are in my hospital _again_ after just being discharged?" Tsunade asked her patient calmly once again. Kiba's eyes lit up as he thought out the perfect lie, down to a T. "I was trying to protect Sakura." he stated no longer scared of the older woman in front of him. _Payback is a bitch Hatake_, he thought with an inward evil smile. "You were protecting Sakura…?" Kiba didn't need any further questioning before he opened up his mouth to spill forth his lie. "She came to me crying, telling me that somebody had tried to rape her…twice…so I asked her who it was and she told me that it was Kakashi so I confronted him about it and we fought, I lost apparently he is too high-leveled of a shinobi for me…it didn't stop me from finding where he went for his mission and I tried to attack him again, all in vain, Naruto and Sasuke jumped in too…and here I am…Sakura didn't want me to tell anybody about it…that's why I didn't say anything to you at first." he added a sympathetic tone to his voice for added measure. Kiba could tell by Tsunade's face that she bought right into it all. He couldn't help but smirk when she turned her head to look out the window with an mix of anger, disappointment and sympathy flew across her beautiful features. "Kiba…you should've told this to me sooner, are you sure about your story?" she didn't want to believe that she could've had something to do with this, if she had known that Kakashi would have done something like that to Sakura she would never have roomed her with him in his apartment. Just the thought of Kakashi doing something like that to his former student made the bile rise in her throat, she stood up shakily and said her goodbyes and thanked Kiba as she made her way back to her office.

"What's wrong with you Tsunade? One moment you look like you had an epiphany, next you look like somebody killed your pig and you want revenge." Jiraiya wasn't the best kind of person to speak with when you are in a bad mood or an indecisive mood, which was why he was now on a receiving end of a murderous glare. A knock sounded at the door and something went off in the back in Tsunade's head, Kakashi should be here soon to give me his mission report. She didn't know if she could face him right now…she might kill him…

"Kakashi." she stated tightly as he walked into the room looking happier than a pig in shit. He smiled and said hello and bowed while handing her his mission report. "Nothing really happened, we weren't needed by our clientele after we got there, we still got paid for our troubles however." Tsunade wasn't really paying any attention to what the Copy-Ninja had to say, she however turned to her toad-summoning friend and said almost angrily, "Can you please leave us for a bit?" Jiraiya looked up surprised exchanging looks from Kakashi, who was equally as confused, to an border-line irate Tsunade. He just nodded his head, no reason to speak his doubts aloud to her in her state of mind at the moment. "Yes, still on for drinks tonight?" he asked innocently enough, "Yes." she couldn't turn down the chance to get drunk after the nugget of information she had learned about the man standing before her, with a cross look on. As soon as the door to her office clicked she stood up and walked around her desk, advancing on the poor unaware Jounin. "Who the fuck do you think you are!?" she screamed at him, making him back up and even tripping over his own feet. It has been such a long time since Kakashi was afraid of somebody as much as he is right now. What did I do? Was the only thought that crossed his mind as she advanced a little more, his back hit the wall, he didn't want to have to use force against the Hokage, that would only make hell for himself. He schooled his visible features to put on a façade of innocence mixed with calmness.

"Hey Sakura!" Ino waved her hand in the air towards her friend, inviting her dazed friend to come and sit with herself and Hinata and Ten Ten. Sakura turned to smile at them as she rushed across the street to start up with all of the gossip, for some reason, when the medic is in a good mood she is in a gossiping mood. She must get it from her loud-mouthed blonde haired friend. "What's up?" she asked as she sat next to Hinata, across from Ten Ten and Ino. "Nothing really…just talking over some tea, why don't you order something?" Sakura could tell that there was something going on by the way that Ino practically ordered her to get some tea or something off the menu more than suggested. "Okay…" she ordered herself some herbal tea with a hint of honey for her suddenly dry throat. Her stomach plummeted as the first question came out of Ino's mouth was "Why didn't you tell me that you lost your virginity to that dog boy?" _lost my virginity? She makes it sound like he didn't try to rape me._ "I don't know what you're talking about." she couldn't make heads or tails of the whole situation anymore. "Well Kiba…he…he told me and Shino that he was sleeping with you…" Hinata said, more like stuttered. "He said _what?_" Sakura couldn't help the growl that came out as she spoke, "We did not have _sex._" she added as she slammed her hands down on the table, spilling all of their teas. "I have to go." she grabbed her coat and stormed off in a huff. "What was that all about?" Ten Ten asked curiously as she watched Sakura's silhouette disappear into an alleyway.

"Let me ask you one more time Kakashi, who the _fuck _do you think you are?!" her temper was rising the more the man just stood in front of her looking like a deer caught in the headlights. "I don't know what you are getting at here." he said, albeit calmly. Her anger flared and she grabbed his flak jacked by one of the front pockets and stared him directly in his eye, "What makes you think that you can't put your disgusting hands on Sakura like you own her!" she spat in his face. Kakashi slowly registered what she was talking about, did she see them kiss?, did she not want them together? "About that Tsunade…it was just a k-" "It was just a what Hatake?! I knew you were a pervert but to try something like that on your own ex-student, you've known her since she was twelve, you pervert!" she couldn't help herself as she slammed his back into the wall behind him. "It was just a kiss!" he said as if he was pleading for his life, which at this point he wasn't sure if he was going to have a life after she was through with him. "Just a kiss?! You tried to rape her! Twice!" she slammed him a little harder into the wall behind him, making him groan a little in pain. "What are you talking about! I didn't try to rape her!" his own voice was rising, along with his anger at such a preposterous thing coming from Tsunade's mouth. "Kiba told me the whole story! So save it!" the wall behind him cracked into a spider-web like formation underneath the Jounin's back. "You can even ask Sakura!, Kiba tried raping her! Not me!" he was getting defensive, he wouldn't dare try and fight back against this woman, so he would tell her what really happened even though he had promised Sakura otherwise.

Sakura hurried on her way to the Hokage Tower, _if Kiba had told everybody that we are sleeping together, then how did he justify why he is in the hospital?, I need to ask Tsunade about this all. _Sakura brought chakra to the soles of her feet and jumped even faster from rooftop to rooftop above the seemingly calm leaf village. Little did she know, somebody was already getting a one way ticket to the hospital possibly. She landed on her feet without a sound in front of the stairs leading up to the Hokage Tower/Office. She ran up the three at a time, a very easy feat for a shinobi of her caliber. She ran down the hallway towards the door to the one place that she knew she could find answers in. She stopped when she saw Jiraiya with his ear glued to the wall and a look of shock mixed with disgust on his face. "What's going on?" Sakura asked, slightly winded from her run. Jiraiya turned to face the 'intruder' "Kakashi is in a world of shit…" he didn't think that it would be good for her to go in there with her 'attacker' in there also, nor did he want to bring up the delicate situation, he is smart, believe it or not. "Why! What is she doing to him!!" she inquired, not really wanting to know, but she couldn't help it as she turned the knob and flew through the door.

"Tsunade-sama! What are you doing to Kakashi!?" Sakura ran over to her old teachers and pulled them apart, which very nearly took her super-human strength to make Tsunade release the Copy-Ninja. "What are _you_ doing!?, Protecting the one who tried to rape you!" Tsunade said incredulously while staring disbelievingly at her old apprentice. "Protect?…person who tried to…what are you talking about? Kakashi didn't try to rape me!" she stated rather loudly to the point were Jiraiya probably didn't need to have his ear glued to the wall to hear it. "Kiba told me himself that he was protecting you by going after Kakashi and that's why he is in the hospital." Tsunade tried to piece one and one together. "I put Kiba in the hospital this time…he was the one who…he tried to rape me…not Kakashi, please leave Kakashi alone…he didn't do anything besides try and help me out by going after Kiba…" it was now Tsunade's turn to look like a deer caught in the headlights. "You mean…I was lied to by Kiba?" Tsunade couldn't help but let her disbelief color her tone. "Yes, he lied to you, and you fell for it!?" Sakura stated more than asked with more disbelief than all three of them put together coloring her voice. "I'm sorry Kakashi…" the Hokage backed up and slumped down on her couch, suddenly very tired.

Shizune was making her normal rounds around the hospital when she came to the fifth door on the right on the second floor of the hospital, room 42a, Kiba Inuzuka's room. She opened the door while reading her medical chart, "Did you just get back from a mission or something Kiba? There are a lot of injuries on your chart here." Shizune said towards the bed, she flipped on the overhead lights in the room, Kiba was the only one in it. She placed the chart on the counter by the sink and slipped on two gloves. She turned to assess the damage, but she found an empty bed and an open window, creating a cold draft from the autumn air outside. "Uh oh." was all that she could think to say as she rushed out the door to warn the Hokage A.S.A.P.

"Tsunade!" Shizune came crashing through the door into the office successfully creating a mini crater in the wall behind it. "What is it!?" Tsunade said, it better be good for interrupting her conversation with Kakashi and Sakura. Shizune ignored her masters upset voice and stated, rather quickly, "Kiba Inuzuka is gone." Sakura's breath hitched and Kakashi's eye widened along with Tsunade's. "Get me ANBU now." Tsunade said and Shizune hurried out the door to do her masters bidding. Kakashi put his hand on Sakura's shoulder, "It's going to be okay." he said soothingly to the woman next to him. "Tsunade, what's going to happen??" she asked timidly. "We have a 24 hour window before he becomes a missing-nin. If he becomes a missing-nin he will be hunted like a dog by the ANBU." she couldn't help the evil glint that happened in her eyes as she thought about hunting down a dog lover _like_ a dog, how ironic.

Four ANBU stood around the couch in the Hokage Office. "Yes Hokage-Sama?" one with a leopard mask asked with a bow. "Approximately half an hour ago I was informed that a Kiba Inuzuka had ran from the village, it is your teams job to hunt him down and bring him back to us, if you fail to get him back by 2:36 pm tomorrow afternoon, he will be deemed a full fledged missing-nin, and we will send out the Hunter-nin and a bounty will be put on his head and he will be entered into the Bingo Book, you are dismissed, you are to leave immediately." without a sound or a word the four ANBU disappeared into thin air and set off in their search for the escaped dog owner.

Kiba sat underneath a tree just past the border of the Fire country. He was out of breath, and out of ideas to keep away from the ANBU, he should probably just go back, but after this stunt, he won't be able to face his family let alone his friends that are probably also looking for him right now. Pretty soon the actual Hunter-nins would be coming after him, this he already knew and that was the only thing that kept his legs pumping against the ground, propelling him forwards. He doesn't dare take flight to the trees, with Akamaru by his side, he had an advantage, yet it would make it harder if he were to jump from branch to branch in the foliage of the trees. He didn't know how Sasuke had made it through all of this, it is difficult considering he had no chance against the ANBU on his tail. He dropped down on all fours and crawled as if a dog through the high grass and weeds on the border of the Earth and Fire countries. He had set up a couple of traps for them, that they defused just as quickly as he had put them up. Akamaru's nose started to tingle as did Kiba's "There close, we have to go faster." Kiba whispered to his only left companion as they sped off towards the Village Hidden in the Grass, the enemy of the Leaf village, dangerous, he knew but it was better than being caught by people from his own village that knew his strengths and weaknesses.

Chouji looked over at Shikamaru as they flew over the forest floor, hunting down one of their own. "Hey, Shika, do you think that he will be stupid enough to go to the Hidden Grass village?" Shikamaru didn't respond right away he just looked over at Neji, then at his other Teammate TenTen, "Not stupid enough, Chouji, desperate enough." he stated as he sped up. "He should be close." Shikamaru said as he looked towards Neji, "Yes, he is heading towards the Grass Village." he said as he diffused his Byakugan. He shook his head as he spoke towards the rest of his team "Doesn't this bring back memories, when we were hunting down Sasuke?" he looked towards Chouji and Shikamaru, since TenTen wasn't there. "Yea… you're right…let's give this our all…" and with that they sped up in search of their own comrade, for what he was on the run for, they did not know, for if they did, they wouldn't be so willing to try and _save_ him, they would have wanted to punish him themselves.

Kakashi couldn't believe that Tsunade would send out his own generation comrades after him, it was to conflicting, they would delve into the problem, wanting to know why Kiba ran away from the village in the first place. He couldn't do anything besides look at the Hokage as she held her head in her hands, "I can't believe that he would be this stupid to actually run away…" the disbelief still hadn't left her voice yet. "I would run too, I mean you do know the punishment for rape in this village, don't you Tsunade?" Jiraiya, who had come back into the room asked curiously. "Yes, it's execution by public hanging." she didn't look up as she spoke her answer to her longtime friend. "Hanging?" Sakura asked incredulously, "They still hang people…publicly?" she couldn't believe that their village still did such a mundane thing. "He deserves it thought, if you ask me." Kakashi stated from somewhere behind her. "Do you think that they will find him?" Kakashi asked Tsunade. "I hope that they will, that's why I sent his own generation after him." she stated her method to her current madness.

While they all sat in the Hokage Tower, word had already reached into even the most seedy parts of the village. "I can't believe that he would do such a thing as run away, he knows how much trouble that caused when the Uchiha did that." Kurenai said sadly to her husband, Asuma as they were putting away the groceries. "I don't know Kurenai, there is something that nobody knows going on…, there has to be a reason that he just suddenly got up and left the hospital like that, you know Kiba better than any of us adults, what do you think, would he run away for no reason whatsoever?" he stopped what he was doing to observe his wife. She looked like she was calculating something, something deep, deeper than them both. "You're right, I do know him better than all of the other adult shinobi…and I know that something has to be happening behind the lines." she suddenly felt sick, she didn't want tempura anymore, she headed towards the bedroom, "Where are you going babe?" Asuma asked after her retreating form, "I don't feel to good, I'm going to go and lay down." Asuma didn't ask anything else, he wouldn't feel to good either if one of his students suddenly decided to become a missing-nin, _I wonder how Kakashi felt when Sasuke disappeared? Helpless? Worthless? Did he feel like he had failed him somehow?_ he didn't want to ponder any longer, he finished up in the kitchen and started cooking, nothing like dinner in bed with his wife, right?

Kiba was sitting in a seedy downtown bar with a shot of whiskey in his hand, this has to be the worst that he has ever been at. He couldn't help but ignore the drink in his hand. _If I need to fight any ANBU here I need to be able to fight, and not wobble in the least, they are well trained at this kind of stuff. _He stood up and put the money down on the table and headed out of the bar onto the empty downtown streets. He didn't look up as he walked onwards in search for a place to stay the night for now. He came across a alleyway and Akamaru disappeared within it making Kiba follow him into the dark recesses of the side road. Akamaru laid down by a garbage can and called his owner over to him. "Is this where you want to sleep?" he asked he didn't really have any objections, if Akamaru thinks that it's safe and that he won't get caught, then he would trust in his canine companion like he always did and always will. As of now, Akamaru was the only thing that Kiba has left, he doesn't plan on going back to the Leaf village at all.

-

**I hope that you guys liked it! I made it realllllyyy long for making you wait so long! D, REVIEW PWEASE!! **


	6. Capture and lust?

**Yo! Platti here! I'm sorry for yet another long wait…there is a lemon (my first one) in this chapter…so I am warning you now!! BEWARE!! I would like to address something really quick, I know that I fall in and out of past and present tense with my writing so please bare with me, I can't help it, it's just a habit that I am trying to break….and without further ado! READ AND REVIEW!! **

Shikamaru can't remember a time when he felt so useless when it comes to his job as a Ninja. This was one of those times, he, being the leader of all the ANBU squads sent out to find Kiba Inuzuka had failed. They all are still unable to find the dog lover, and all of the squads are running low on energy and faith in completing the mission handed to them. Tsunade had the same outlook on the whole expedition. It didn't help that now Shikamaru was asking why Kiba had run away in the first place. She looked up at him as he asks her this and shakes her head while motioning for him to come in all the way and shut the door behind him. He did as was asked of him and stood as close to the desk as he could, yet still out of grabbing range. The Hokage looked more troubled as she was about to spill Sakura's secret to the Nara kid. Shikamaru knew from her face that it was pretty bad…just how bad is it all? He thought to himself as he braced his arms against the front of the desk so he was eye level to the leader of the Leaf. "Kiba was found out to have been trying against Sakura's will to take her." There it's out, now maybe that will be more of a motivator for the lazy genius. Shikamaru's eyes widened at the new piece of information on him and his squad's mission. "This is to stay between me and you…no telling the other ANBU." She said in all seriousness. Shikamaru isn't best friends with Sakura, yet his girlfriend, Ino Yamanaka is and he could only picture his lover's face if she were to find out about this tidbit of information. She'd sign up for ANBU just to get onto this mission so she could kill Kiba instead of bringing him back to the village where he is wanted. An unheeded shiver went up his spine as he pictured the fight that would happen between his girlfriend and his friend. What is wrong with Kiba? He thought. "I can't believe that he would do something like that to Sakura…and then to run away like Sasuke did after knowing what had happened when that happened…we all almost lost our lives." His fist met the desktop, scaring the Hokage if just a little, it isn't everyday you see a pissed off Shikamaru Nara. It is a rare sight indeed not one you really want to witness if you are the wrongdoer though. "Does he want us all to lose our lives going after his sorry ass?!" his voice was rising fast as did his anger. Tsunade couldn't take it anymore, "I need you to tell your squads to get back here and we will all have a meeting, I will tell them what transpired previous to Kiba's leaving." Shikamaru shook his head affirmative as he disappeared in an angry swirl of red and black leaves.

Kakashi didn't mean to end up in the Hokage office, yet he couldn't help it, if he didn't help go after Kiba he would never get any sleep, not that he would if he found the scumbag and brought him back to the village his precious Cherry Blossom is in. "Kakashi…what can I do for you?" she looked as if somebody has kicked her dog; then threatened to kill her best friend. He didn't bother with curtsies, cutting straight to the point he spoke, "I request to go on the mission after Kiba Inuzuka." He seemed calm enough thought Tsunade. "I don't know about this one Hatake…" she really didn't know, maybe he was too emotionally involved…he is technically romantically involved with the victim of the situation. "I don't think so, Hatake, I think that you are to involved with Sakura to do this…you are willing to go after Kiba on different grounds." She didn't like the look that flashed through Kakashi's onyx eye. "What do you mean to involved? You sent his friends out there after him! What do you think that they will do to him once they get a hold of him for just leaving the village?!" he had a point…she had to admit that one, a very good one too. "Fine…you will be dispatched after the meeting with the squads currently on this mission as well…be back at five sharp, if you aren't you aren't going." She stated this last part very firmly to get the point directly across to the chronically late Copy-Ninja. "Thank you…you won't regret this." He disappeared out the window as Tsunade whispered, "I hope I don't, I really hope that I don't."

Team Cat are racing through the forest on the outskirts of the Fire Country, "We only have sixteen hours until he officially becomes a missing-nin, then we will be going up against other ANBU." The woman, Yuugao, behind the Cat mask, the leader of the squad spoke in a whisper, carried by the wind to her teammates behind her. They grunted their approval and understanding almost in unison with each other. Genma, who is sporting a lion mask looked to his lizard faced friend and spoke softly as did their leader, "Did you see that?" The lizard masked man just looked at him and nodded his head the slightest; he had also seen the shadow move in the trees off to the right side of him and Genma. They signaled to Yuugao who nodded her head a little to the left and pounced in that direction. However, she was frozen in mid-pounce as her shadow was connected to something else. "Sorry, I didn't mean to set you off, Cat, I was sent by the Hokage to retrieve the active squads on this mission, we are to head back together since you are the last team and have a meeting on a update in our work." Yuugao was less than amused that a 'youngster' had outsmarted her. She had followed him regardless of her inner demise at the thought of wasting time with this meeting, we should be hunting him down further, she grumbled to herself.

Sakura was tired of it all. She was signed out of work to 'emotionally' repair herself. She snorted at the thought; does everybody really think that I'm going to do something…like suicide? She thought bitterly as she kicked a rock off of the porch step below her. She sighed as she thought of what to eat before she headed to the shower, then take a nap. She didn't feel like cooking which explains why she is snacking on a Brown sugar pop tart as she disappeared into her bedroom to find some more comfortable clothes to change into when she got out of the shower. Sakura stepped into a cool spray beneath the showerhead. She sighed as she felt her muscles seemingly melt beneath the cascade of water. "Oh God, I love showers after a long boring and stressful day." She whispered to herself as she lathered her hair and body. As she rinsed off she thought back to her and Kakashi's kiss. Automatically she touched her lips as she remembered his on her own, burning her skin. After the kiss he had shown her his face; he is gorgeous underneath that spandex like material! She couldn't help but imagine his high cheekbones and thick full lips and his cute small straight nose. She had no idea that he could look that good underneath that hideous piece of fabric, but boy did he. He's all hers too! She thought happily to herself…wait…do we date? She thought to herself, perplexed.

All three squads sent out had returned; everyone's there, including Kakashi who was surprisingly on time for something besides the Memorial Stone for once. "Now that I have everyone here, I would like to discuss with you all why Kiba exactly left this village in a hurry, I imagine you all have been wondering this." She looked around and saw that the ninja (who had taken off their masks on her command when they arrived) where a tad bit excited to finally hear the answer to their question. "Kiba repeatedly tried to rape a Sakura Haruno." The whole room seemed to take a breath at once, as if they were a whole. "He ran away from the village thinking that it would solve his problems, that he wouldn't have to see justice here in the Leaf village." She looked over the ninja's faces again and wasn't surprised that they seemed either disgusted with the dog lover or angry. The women seemed to be a mixture of mad, disgust…and sympathy and sadness for Sakura. "We will definitely find him Tsunade-sama, we still have twelve hours to do so." Fox and Hawk agreed with Wolf's (Kakashi's) statement. Tsunade smiled as she dismissed them to continue on their hunt.Kakashi stood by the main gate into the village.

"Okay, I am your new team leader, Cat is next in line you will take orders from her also. We will start with scouring the poor villages about thirteen miles west of this gate." He didn't wait for his team's response as he sped off into the forest towards Michiuron the first poor village on their path. Cat, Lizard and Lion exchanged glances as they used chakra to catch up with their new leader. "If you ask me, Kakashi is a little to enthusiastic to catch this Kiba kid." Genma whispered to Yuugao and Haiko. Yuugao responded curtly, "He was just informed that his ex-student was almost deflowered by one of her 'friends.'" they didn't speak the rest of the way after Yuugao's harshly whispered statement, they had understood what she meant, and just what Sakura meant to their silver-haired friend and leader.

Kiba knew that his life was in danger when Pakkun, Kakashi's hunting pug showed up in the pub that he was sitting in. The missing-nin that was sitting next to him said with awe in his voice, "You have Konoha's Wolf after you, son, run…run as quick as you can now…you will get caught…he's the son of the White Fang!" he leaned in closer to Kiba, he could smell the cigarettes on his breath as he said in a low whisper, "You and your dog won't escape…" Kiba cringed; who is this Wolf guy? He thought as he grabbed his stuff and him and Akamaru fled the pub and onto the seedy streets. He looked all around him and looked at Akamaru sniffing the air, nobody's around…yet. He ran full speed rooftop to rooftop until he reached the crappy villages entrance and he fled into the woods. He ran on the forest floor as fast as he could with Akamaru by his side. He can't take to the trees because of Akamaru's size…they would be even more obvious if they did that. Kiba feared for his life. He didn't know exactly what these ANBU are capable of…whatever or whoever they are, he isn't anywhere close to their caliber. Kakashi awaited Pakkun's return to hear the news, it was so much easier to send in the hounds while the actual team searched the woods surrounding the village; it saves time. A poof resounded from the foliage of the trees the team was hiding in. A small brown, white and black pug sat before Kakashi with a lazy look upon its face. "Any news?" Kakashi asked hurriedly to the seemingly bored pug. "The boy is headed this way with his dog." Genma's ears perked up at the promise of action. "He knows that we are after him, he must be more cautious, be careful Kakashi." Pakkun put his paw up in a salute as he disappeared only to reappear in his own world. "What are we going to do Wolf?" Genma asked excitedly. Kakashi looked over his team as he thought out the possible formations that they could use to stop Kiba and Akamaru. "Genma, you take the trees across from me, Yuugao, you take the trees diagonally from me and Haiko you will mirror her position." They nodded as they took their positions.

Kiba stopped to catch his breath about three miles from the entrance of the village. "I think that we lost whoever was after us, Akamaru." He looked over to his left when he didn't hear a response from his companion. Akamaru was nowhere to be found and Kiba began to freak out. "Akamaru!" he called and whistled, Akamaru didn't come. "This isn't the right time to be playing hide and seek, Akamaru! We could get killed here!" he couldn't help it as his voice rose. "You shouldn't have even ran through the woods, Kiba." Kakashi said from his position directly above the escapee. Kiba's eyes widened as his face looked upwards; only for his vision to get blocked out by the foliage of trees Kakashi was hiding in. "Where are you!" he asked in a high-pitched voice. He knew that voice from before…it was Kakashi. A flash of a memory went off behind Kiba's eyelids as he remembered Kakashi's words from before; "The next chidori won't miss." This only fueled his fear as he searched yet again for Kakashi or at least one of his teammates. Kiba knew that ANBU usually traveled in-groups of four. He didn't spot them either and he began to really panic. "What did you do with Akamaru!" he decided to take the spotlight off of him being captured. "He's up here with us." Kakashi's voice drifted down to Kiba's ears. He must be using an echoing jutsu for his voice… Kiba thought somewhat levelheaded.

Shikamaru's team kept on the trail ahead of them, they were heading to the east of the main village gates for Konoha and so far they didn't find a thing that suggested that Kiba and Akamaru had been there. They were all getting tired of hunting down somebody without the slightest lead as to where they could be. Everybody was also tired of hearing about how hungry Chouji was and how TenTen complained that Neji couldn't see where Kiba and Akamaru are with his Byakugan. Shikamaru was just tired of the lack of leads and clues overall. He hated not being able to complete a mission successfully; especially since everyone is now fired up even more and ready to find them now that they all know the cause of his random disappearance. Neji really seemed the angriest out of them all for some unknown reason. Shikamaru decided that it was time for a little break, where Chouji could get some food and Neji could scope everything around them with his advanced eyes. Tsunade was listening to another one of Sakura's rant about why in the world anybody would think she was so emotionally unstable that she couldn't work her normal shifts at the hospital anymore until it was all over and Kiba was brought to justice. The golden eyed Hokage was about ready to explode as Sakura went on about how late it got so soon. "I can't believe that it's already nine thirty in the evening." Tsunade swears that this woman is bipolar. "Listen Sakura, I am doing this all for your own good, not to say that you are completely emotionally unstable. Now why don't you go and get some sleep?" she was greatly relieved that the pink haired woman repented and took her up on her suggestion without further argument.

Kiba was trapped now and he knew it there was just no way that he was going to escape.Kakashi is far to high of a caliber for him to take on alone especially now that he has a whole ANBU team with him. Kakashi was enjoying watching the dog lover squirm far too much for his own health. Everybody on his team was enjoying it. Kakashi signaled to Yuugao to tell him how many hours Kiba had left. Four hours and counting, great; Kakashi thought to himself with a smirk. He signaled his teammates to drop down to the forest floor with him. Kiba's eyes got wider as they all neared him like a pack of hungry wolves. Akamaru wasn't as scared though, he pounced towards Haiko with teeth bared, gleaming in the moonlight. Haiko didn't seem phased at the look of the beast intent on attacking him. The ANBU sidestepped the incoming dog and wound around at the right time to deliver a brutal kick to the hounds jaw. Akamaru went soaring through the air, hitting a tree. Kiba's temper flared at the sight of Akamaru being injured by the ANBU. "What do you think you're doing!" he shouted at the calm man. Haiko didn't respond which made Kiba even angrier. "Hey!, I'm talking to you asshole!" he got up in the masked face and tried to kick his feet out from under him. This attack was easily defused as Kakashi caught Kiba's kick before it could land on his teammate and friend. "If you come with us without putting up a fight, it will save you another hospital visit." His voice was very strictly stern. "What makes you think that I'll lose to you guys? What makes you so sure of yourself Hatake?" he was changing mood pretty fast. Seeing Akamaru being treated like that must have given him and edge of audacity. Kakashi wasn't about to let him talk down to him or his teammates like that though…

Sakura was geared up and ready to go. She couldn't stand sitting at home anymore, especially since Kakashi had also joined the fight. She was the one who was done wrong, yet she hadn't been recruited on this mission, what kind of shit is that? It's all-unfair in Sakura's eyes at this point. A strap wound it's way around her skinny, defined leg as she assembled her kunai holster to her calf. She was talking aloud to herself. "I can't believe that they haven't found him yet…he can't be that hard to find…can he?" she was doubting everyone's abilities, including Kakashi's and she didn't like it. She couldn't help the fact though. It's not her fault that she has a natural affinity to doubting herself and others ever since she was almost raped, she had an excuse for it all though, didn't she? That's what she thought about it. She didn't know where to start on her journey to find another squad…she wasn't going to not try though.

Neji and Shikamaru, the brains of their team, decided that enough was enough. "We are so far from Konoha, that even if we were to find Kiba there is no way in hell that we could get him back to the village in three and a half hours…" Ino knew that tone of voice that Shikamaru used, he was about to tell them they were heading back empty handed. Her heart fell that she couldn't find her friends would've been rapist to justice with her bare hands. "We are heading back to the village since we aren't going to see Kiba anywhere around apparently." Then it was settled, nobody argued, not even Ino, she didn't have the heart left to do so. They packed up camp and hauled ass back to the village to give Tsunade the news of the still missing Kiba Inuzuka.

Tsunade couldn't take it anymore! She was so sick and tired of hearing all of her ANBU squads coming in to tell her that they had failed in the capture of one Kiba Inuzuka. She sighed as she rested her forehead on her desk. Said desk was covered in papers that needed to be looked over, they could wait. Right now the only thing that was top priority on the Hokage's mind was to find this little bastard and persecute him in the name of justice…and anger. She couldn't remember the last time that she had been so angry with another person, let alone another shinobi. She wasn't only angry with Kiba, but also with the failed contestants that were sent after him in the false beliefs of success. The only team left out was Kakashi's team, they are the villages last hopes in getting their Inuzuka clan heir back before he becomes bait for all shinobi nations. "We're counting on you, Kakashi, don't screw this one up." Tsunade whispered from her now standing position by the open window. A wind blew through her hair and lifted some of the papers on her desk, while carrying out her pleading statement.

Kakashi tried to keep his cool, I can't kill him right here, I have to bring him back first; he kept saying this to himself over and over again inside of his head like a mantra. Yuugao and Genma were deciding whether to gang up on Kiba or to just let Kakashi take care of it all. They exchanged glances, the look in the others eyes was the answer, "We want a piece of this bastard too!" was the receiving and outgoing message between the two. The ANBU were so wrapped up in their own thoughts of how to get Kiba back to the village that they didn't realize that Akamaru had gotten back up from his position against the tree. Haiko turned to late and was Gatsuuga'd. Blood sprayed over the rest of Team Wolf. Haiko's body landed in a ragged heap next to Kakashi. He was still alive but a huge chunk of skin was missing from his side and his breaths were raspy. Kakashi was no medic, he couldn't do healing jutsu but he's smart enough to know that if he didn't get medical help soon…he might die. Genma and Yuugao looked on in horror as Kiba tried making his escape. Kiba thought that since the team was so worried about their fallen comrade that they wouldn't bother going after him. Boy, was he wrong. Genma and Kakashi sped after him. Yuugao stayed behind and delivered some medical help to Haiko. Both men where seeing red.

Sakura hurried up her pace as she swept through the woods out skirting the village Michiuron, the direction that Kakashi's team was last known to be heading. She couldn't believe the time that she was making, not that the poor village was that far away from the Leaf. In all actuality it would take a genin only about an hour to get there. Sakura's time was about a half an hour. She had this dreading feeling in the pit of her stomach that no matter how much she willed it away, it didn't stop it only grew worse. Maybe Kakashi had gotten himself into some trouble? She couldn't picture Kiba giving _the Kakashi Hatake _a problem. This wasn't helping her lurching stomach any more though. She sped up a little more, if that were possible. The leaves ahead of her were singed and still smoking a little. It looks like Sasuke's and Kakashi's Katon Housenka No Jutsu (sp). This made her stomach lurch to the bottom of her feet, all of the signs of a struggle was present. "I hope you win or won, Kakashi…" her heart gave a painful beat then a pause as she thought of the possibility of losing a person she found herself falling for.

Kakashi had not counted on a number of other missing-nins jumping in, the fight was getting deadly, all to quickly for his liking. Yuugao still had yet to catch up with them; in a fleeting moment, Kakashi hoped that she and Haiko didn't get caught in this fray. Haiko was holding up as best as he could with his many injuries. Kakashi felt the guilt well up in him as he thought about all of the times in his life he couldn't save his teammates. He'll be damned if he lets this be one of those times as well. He had as many injuries as his comrade, maybe even more, but that didn't stop him from killing more of the little bastards that had joined Kiba's side. Low chakra reserves made them both resort to using basic ninja skills (Tai-Jutsu). Genma's breath was ragged as he dodged yet another attempt from a shiny kunai to his throat. The ninja knife stuck in the bark of a tree just inches above his head. With a flurry of hand-signs, Genma made the Earth open up beneath four or five of the enemy shinobi and swallowed them whole. Kakashi and Genma were back to back as they used kunai to fend off the enemies surrounding them. Many bodies lay, some smoldered by Kakashi's fireball jutsu, and others laying in pools of their own blood thanks to the knives in the ANBU's hands. Kakashi could feel a familiar chakra signature coming towards them at full speed. It wasn't Yuugao…or Haiko…it was… "What is Sakura doing out here!" he stated frantically as he sliced another throat cleanly.

Sakura could feel multiple chakra signatures surrounding two friendly ones. She hurried onwards not deterring when she tripped and banged her head on the next branch. "I can't stop now! They need my help!" after a few more hops, skips and jumps, Sakura landed without an audible sound onto the forest floor. "I can't sense Kiba or Akamaru anywhere…did they escape while their fellow missing-nins fight the ANBU squad?" she suddenly had to chose what she was going to do next. Do I follow this path to help Kakashi and his team…or do I go and find Kiba and Akamaru and fight them? She couldn't decide quick enough. "I only feel two ANBU chakra's in that clearing though…which means more should be on their way…Kiba, here I come!" she stated decisively as she jumped into the trees and headed in the opposite direction from before.

The numbers where dwindling down finally. Genma and Kakashi where trying their best, Yuugao and Haiko had arrived, Haiko unconscious yet alive and Yuugao watching over him while fighting. This wasn't getting them anywhere, considering that the bastard and his dog weren't anywhere to be found around the battle area. Not only that, but Kakashi could no longer feel Sakura's chakra signature close to them, she had been heading their way a couple of minutes ago…where could she be going? Doesn't she realize that we apparently need help here! He screamed in his head. "She must be going after Kiba and Akamaru herself." a voice came from behind him. He turned ever so slightly to see Genma laying on the forest floor staring up at the foliage of the trees almost wistfully. "What are you doing! Get up and let's fight!" Kakashi no longer had a hang of his emotions as he ran his way to his fallen teammate. "You…should….go….after…her…Kakashi…." his last breath was coming shortly, Kakashi could tell, yet he didn't want to believe it. He frantically shouted for Yuugao to help him. "Get over her now! He's going to die!" he didn't care if his voice betrayed his emotions. He just wanted Genma to be okay. Yuugao couldn't keep the tears away as she told Kakashi that the next sentence from Genma would be his last. Kakashi felt a tear well up in his eye and was grateful for not only his usual mask but for the ANBU regulated one as well. "Kakashi…Yuugao…Haiko…I have failed y-you and I am sorry……Yuugao….tell Haiko I said bye…" one horrible cough brought forth the last bit of Genma's life blood. Kakashi watched while a silent tear slipped past his defenses and down his cheek to be soaked up in his mask. He watched the drop of blood create a line from the corner of Genma's mouth to the side of his neck. Yuugao whispered something to the effect of "I'm gonna kill the rest of the bastards." and got up to do just that.

Kakashi could hear Yuugao fight with all that was left within her for her fallen comrades, not just Genma but for Haiko as well, even for himself. He felt the guilt and bile rise up in his throat as he stared at his friends faraway serene look on his face. If one weren't so aware of the delicate situation at the moment they would say that he was just sleeping. Kakashi knew better though, he knew that he would never open his onyx eyes again. He silently removed his mask and showed his face to the world. He was only about twenty-four years old. Kakashi couldn't help but think that it should've been him, he's avoided death too much to _not _be in Genma's place right now. "You didn't fail us…" he said as the anger welled up in him, his fists clenched as he turned towards the remaining five ninja. His hand started to glow a dark blue, almost black as he shouted into the air "CHIDORI!" the sound of a thousand birds echoed everywhere and blood was spilt everywhere even on the trees as the last five ninja fell, dead.

Kakashi stumbled over blindly to his best friends body, despite Yuugao's pleas for him to rest. Chakra exhaustion-smhaustion he thought as he fell onto his knees before Genma's body to say something even though he knew that he wasn't going to get a response from him. "I'm sorry…." he kept repeating over and over as he clutched at his friends ANBU vest and he let the tears flow freely uncaring to the other presence behind him crying as well. "Kakashi…it'll be okay." she tried to console the distressed shinobi. She hates seeing him like this, the almighty indifferent Kakashi Hatake, sitting in front of his best friend, his _dead_ best friend. She turned so she couldn't see his shoulders heaving up and down with his silent sobs. It's too much for her to take. She sat next to Haiko's unaware body. She brought her knees up to her head and almost receded into a complete ball as she cried. Kakashi began to get angry, angry at himself, angry at him showing emotions. Mostly, he got angry at Kiba, he did this to Genma! He was the one who ran away and had to be hunted down by us! He's the one who had us ambushed by a bunch of his 'new friends'! He's the one who is now being chased by Sakura! "I have to go." Kakashi said shakily as he stood up just as shakily. Yuugao's eyes widened as she knew what he was about to say next. "I need to go and find Sakura…" she couldn't help it as she blurted it all out. "You're just going to leave me here with Haiko and…and Genma's dead body!" she shouted to the gray-haired uncaring ninja. "He might have more friends Kakashi! Genma wouldn't want you to kill yourself!"

Kakashi turned sharply towards Yuugao's distraught form and said menacingly, "He was the only person who understood my feelings for Sakura…, he was the only person besides Asuma, who fully understood _me_, I know that he would want me to save Sakura from having the same fate as himself." he didn't leave her time to argue, for he disappeared in a flurry of dust. He jumped to the trees and fled in full speed in Sakura's or what he believed to be Sakura's general direction.

Sakura's breaths were labored as she threw another kick towards Kiba. Akamaru was accounted for already, he was lying on the forest floor _napping._ Kiba didn't think that Sakura would be to much of a hassle so he decided to take her on himself without the aid of his canine. Sakura's blood boiled as he spoke the words she didn't want to hear, "You should just stop this foolishness, Kakashi is already dead…do you want to die with him?" he said mockingly as he easily dodged another chakra infused punch. It was much to easy to get her riled up and he knew it, that was the plan from the beginning. All of his 'missing-nin buddies' had stayed behind on his order to fight Kakashi's ANBU team. Kiba had no doubt in his mind that they had successfully destroyed the annoying pests he called them. Sakura couldn't stand the fact that even though she is a Jounin she still can't keep her emotions from getting in the way of fighting. "Kakashi isn't dead!" she screamed her thoughts aloud at once and she caught Kiba's jaw with her blinding right-hook and sent him flying through the trees at a dangerous pace. She had had enough of this lowlife. "I. refuse. To. Believe. You." she punctuated every word with a punch to Kiba's body. Kiba wasn't going to give up just yet though

Akamaru watched as his master was pounded into the ground and waited for the perfect time to attack his attacker. He observed as Sakura leaned her back against a tree that was still intact from her previous attack on Kiba. She slumped down beside her enemy's unconscious body and silently thanked whatever God was watching over her at the time. She hadn't seen it coming…for if she did we all know she would've dodged it like we would a semi-truck. Akamaru had found this to be the perfect time to use his and Kiba's most effective jutsu. He turned into a huge wolf like figure about ten feet high. Akamaru jumped up into the air and started the beginning of the Gatsuuga technique spinning around at Earth shattering speeds in mid-air. He spun just as fast towards Sakura's unsuspecting body.

Kakashi knew that he had to make it to Sakura as fast as he could, there was no knowing what would happen if he didn't get there in time. He remembered the first time that he wasn't in time regarding one of his other ex-students. Naruto had almost died at Sasuke's hands and he was glad to this day that the Kyuubi had helped Naruto recover to full health without any big health complications. He never thought that he would thank the beast that had killed his Sensei and ruined Naruto's childhood. Something told him that this time would be different…and he hoped that it would be different for his timing wise…because Sakura doesn't have the Kyuubi…and if she gets hit severely like Naruto had, she won't survive. He shuddered at the thought of her dying on him, it fueled him to move at an even faster pace. If that were possible in his chakra less state, he would have to save his last bit of chakra if Kiba and/or Akamaru still had some fight in them after Sakura is done with them.

Sakura looked up as Akamaru advanced on her at a dizzying speed, that would rival Lee's 'five inner gates' speed. She closed her eyes in a moment of panic and fear. She didn't scream though, she _refuses_ to scream, she's a shinobi! They are trained for moments like these. Yet she couldn't bring herself to move or counter-attack. Most people say that when you know that your death is coming at you like that you would see your life flash behind your eye-lids. All different kind of scenes would play, gory, sad, happy, depressing, nightmares, unfinished dreams…everything. Yet this didn't happen at that moment for Sakura, she didn't see snip-bits of her life or her future…just darkness. She felt a pulse of pure energy go through the Earth and the air, so thick and heavy that the energy was nearly _palpable._ She opened her eyes to see that Akamaru was laying down unconscious next to Kiba's equally as sedated body.

Kakashi had made it in time. He used the last bit of chakra that he had to knock out Akamaru with his Sharingan. He had never felt such a rush of emotions going through his veins in one time. There was relief, anger, hatred, and love…love for the woman before him who thought that her death was imminent just seconds before he showed up. He removed his mask and hurried over to her shocked form. "K-Kakashi?" she stuttered his name. He put his finger to her lips and embraced her as he cried for herself and his lost friend. She didn't know what to do, here was her seemingly invincible, indifferent, uncaring ex-teacher crying in her arms. She didn't say anything as he wished, she just wrapped her arms around him as well and began running her hands up and down his back in a soothing manner. Haiko and Yuugao arrived at that time with Genma's body, and everything clicked into place for Sakura; Why Yuugao and the others weren't with Kakashi in the first place…and why said ANBU was laying in her arms crying…he had just lost somebody very important. Sakura began to cry with him for Genma…for Kakashi…for Yuugao…for Haiko and for herself.

Tsunade couldn't believe the turn of events, Kiba was captured by Sakura who had escaped the village herself without Tsunade knowing. Genma is dead, and nobody looked as if they accepted the mission as a success. Kakashi was also a wreck, even though he had long since schooled his features from back in the wood clearing. Tsunade could tell that Genma's death had taken a huge toll on him. You would have to be blind not to notice how close the two were, they weren't just drinking buddies and mission buddies or teammates they were _buddies._ She couldn't help but feel bad for Kakashi, she didn't pity him…no. She felt genuinely bad for him, sympathy, per say. She knew how it felt to lose almost everybody that she held close to her heart. Most shinobi did, but Kakashi was different, not only did he lose almost everything dear to him, but he believes that it was his fault and that he could've stopped their divine departure. This would just be another supposedly self-imposed grief haunting memories for him. The Hokage couldn't look any of them in the eyes (or eye in Kakashi's case) as she spoke, "The funeral will be in two days…his name will be carved on the Cenotaph." she dismissed them all with a flick of her wrist.

Kakashi sulked into his and Sakura's apartment and flicked on the lights. He didn't feel himself anymore. He doesn't know what to think of himself. Deep inside he knows that it wasn't his fault that Genma died, yet he couldn't bring himself, his _whole self_ to believe that fully. Sakura had sat next to him on the couch as he buried his face in the crook of her neck, he always found comfort in her presence, even when they were Team 7 and Team Kakashi. She sighed and leaned her head on top of his. "Kakashi…I'm sorry…if it weren't for me being so helpless in the first place…Kiba would have never ran away and what happened would never have happened." she can't bring herself to say Genma's death straight-out. Kakashi's head moved from the juncture of her neck and shoulder. She missed the warmth and the feeling of his breath tickling the column of her neck, she didn't show it however.

"Sakura, please don't blame yourself, there was nothing that you could do…and you weren't helpless and you still aren't…you kicked his ass…twice, that's good enough if you ask me." he attempted a feeble smile. Sakura couldn't help but just say, "Okay." and smile back. Kakashi's smile turned genuine as he saw that Sakura's did as well. "You know…Genma wouldn't want us to wallow in self-pity or to be upset over his death." Sakura didn't want to sound mean or anything. "I know." Kakashi sighed as he laid his head back down onto Sakura's shoulder and took a deep breath. "I think that I have let it go…but it just hurts to know that I won't ever see him again." he wasn't used to saying his mind like this, just around Sakura he found it happening more often than not. "I understand." a silence enveloped the couple

A comfortable silence. It started to rain as they sat there. Eventually, the fell asleep in each others arms.

The next day went by to quick and before you knew it, the funeral was here. Shinobi of all different ages, sizes, and ranks came. Even many from other countries came. Genma was a very beloved ninja. Kakashi bowed his head as the Hokage stood up to make her speech. All of the others followed suit. Kakashi was standing next to Sakura, with Sasuke and Naruto on his other side. "We are gathered here to say goodbye to a very honorable shinobi, not only was he an honorable shinobi, but a wonderful man to know. He had his flaws, as do we all. My job here is not to point out his bad points, but to enhance his many good ones. Genma Shiranui, was a brave man and shinobi, he was a leader and a perfect example for us all to follow, he had the determination to get the job done, yet the kindness to know what boundaries not to step over. He has many friends who are all before us, I want all of you who do not know, that Genma died valiantly, protecting his teammates on a very important mission, his death was that of a true shinobi, friend, civilian, friend and man. He will forever be in our hearts, let's now take a moment to bow our heads and have a moment of silence for our lost comrade." Tsunade bowed her head as well. The only thing to be heard was the rustling of the leaves in the wind far away. Kakashi liked to believe that the next strong gust of wind was Genma himself telling them all that he was still forever with them.

**Two Months later….**

Kakashi and Sakura had been dating for about two months and only a few selected of their friends knew about it. They didn't want it to leak out to Tsunade just yet, they wanted to be the ones to tell her. Kiba was sentenced to life in Konoha's Shinobi Penitentiary; Sakura and Kakashi couldn't be happier about that either. There was still a chance of him getting parole though. The village was going into a war though, the Grass and the Rock had teamed up with Lightning and Cloud to go against the Leaf and Sand. There were sand nins everywhere in the Leaf and vice-versa. The village could be thrown into chaos at any time because of it. It all started because Sasuke had destroyed the Sound some years ago and they were recruiting each other to avenge the Sound…Leaf and it's allies being the first on the list. Kabuto was leading it all. The shinobi were waiting for them to spring into action at any time.

Kakashi had finally gotten a few days off with Sakura. It had been so long since the both had some days off, and boy did it feel good. Sakura and him have been taking it slow, like previously said very few knew of their relationship. Those few are: Asuma, Kurenai, Ino (who wasn't told until she swore up and down that she wouldn't blab it to everyone in sight.), Naruto (who was okay with it), Sasuke (who could've cared less), and Hinata (who was very happy for them both and gave them her blessings.

Kakashi had just gotten out of the shower and wrapped a towel around himself, he didn't bother with the mask since only he and Sakura lived in the house. He shaved and as usual walked into his bedroom to get his clothes to change into. That was until he saw Sakura sitting, red-faced, on his bed. When she realized that she had been caught, she turned her head as fast as she could to avert her eyes from Kakashi's '_delicious body'_ as her Inner voice so gratefully said. She didn't want to seem embarrassed it was just….different for her. Kakashi couldn't keep it in anymore, he chuckled. At the sound of this Sakura's head spun around to glare at him for laughing so rudely at her! Kakashi, noticing the evil intent in his Cherry Blossom's eyes decided now would be a good time to stop. Sakura ignored him as he approached the bed and sat down (still in his lack of clothing) and reached out for her. She pulled away, she was playing with him. He pouted which he knew that she couldn't resist. Especially when he added the puppy dog eyes for the effect, both of his eyes being visible didn't help Sakura's resolve to be 'upset' with him in the least.

"Oh, come on, Sakura, you know that I wasn't trying to be mean." he seemed sincere about it. She decided to give him a break just this once. Besides it didn't help that she was in love with him either. _Yes that's right! I admit it! I love him! _she thought sweetly. She looked into the grey and red orbs only to see them baring into her very soul it seemed. Kakashi threw on some boxers and sweatpants. He then returned to the bed and began to wrestle with Sakura in a playful manner. Sakura was giggling and kicking him in random places, not hard enough to hurt him though. She was on top of him now, pinning his hands on either side of his head with her knees and was triumphantly mouthing off. "The winner is Sakura!…." she froze as she felt Kakashi flip her over. He was hovering inches above her and she could smell the earthy scent of his body wash radiating off of him in intoxicating waves. She glanced up at him to see him smiling at her, more like it was a feral grin. She knew what he was about to do, and she didn't stop him, she wanted this just as bad as he did, maybe even worse.

Kakashi closed the distance between them and kissed her deeply, passionately. She felt his hands begin to roam over her flimsy nightgown. She could feel every nerve in her body catch fire from the contact on her suddenly heated skin. Her arms instinctively came to wrap around his neck which in turn deepened the kiss. She was in heaven in that moment. She has never gone very far with a man…she's still a virgin for heaven's sake! Kakashi slipped a hand under her nightgown and cupped her right breast. Sakura gasped which turned into a moan as she arched her back to try and get as much of her breast into his hand. Kakashi taking advantage of her open mouth by sneaking his tongue in. He gently stroked and kneaded her breast in time with his tongue, making even more, in his opinion, delicious sounds come from his pink-haired lover. He wants more of those beautiful noises, more of _her. _With the skillfulness of a pro, he unclasped her bra from underneath her light pink dress like-nightgown. He detached his mouth from hers and trailed hot open mouthed kisses down her neck, starting at her earlobe. She mewled as he sucked on her pulse point while (discreetly) sneaking her bra all the way off.

His hand slipped down her creamy skin, further until he reached her panty-line. Sakura gasped as she felt Kakashi slip the seemingly (to him) offending cloth off of her shapely hips down her long legs, to rest on her dainty feet for her to kick the off, which she did. The grey-haired ninja pulled back a little to see the ever-familiar (to him at least) spark of lust in her eyes. He knew that his eyes mirrored her own no doubt. He spoke in a husky, low voice, "Are you sure that you want to do this…I mean…-" he was cut off as she pounced on him…_literally._ She smashed her lips against his, hard, hungrily, most of all, passionately. Even though they never spoke those three words to each other they both could tell that they loved each other, truly and unconditionally. Kakashi's back was on the carpeted floor of his bedroom as Sakura was trailing kisses down his neck, much like he had done to her. "Now who's the Copy-Cat?" he said playfully as she reached his navel. She reprimanded him by dipping her tongue into his bellybutton making him gasp then moan. He was always so sensitive when it came to his bellybutton. He decided that she had had her fun long enough, time to take over again.

He switched their positions yet again. He started kissing her all over her face as he pulled her dress up and over her head. She helped him pull it up and over her head when it got stuck on her nose. She went to cover herself but was too late; Kakashi took both of her hands into his own and pinned them above her head. He made his way down her body to her breasts. He started to swirl his tongue around the dusty pink peak and sucked. He could hardly hold her down as she arched her back and unconsciously ground her pelvis into his own making his cloth covered erection rub against her bare crotch. He groaned at the sensation, as did she. He switched breasts and teased the neglected breast with his other hand, tweaking, pulling and plucking, even flicking. She let out a throaty moan as he went down further. He left butterfly kisses in his wake as he moved down to the patch of curls laying on top of her mound. He had long let go of her hands so that she was now grasping his hair and tugging like a wild animal as he kissed his way down even further.

Kakashi inhaled her musky scent and reveled in it for a second before kissing her right above her clit. Meanwhile his right hand snuck down to the cleft of her ass. He dragged his finger from the cleft of her ass through her wet slit to the jewel buried within her glistening lips. She moaned low and dark. He loved the sound and vowed to bring her to heaven tonight. He let his tongue wander out of its cavern and give her an experimental lick. Her body quivered with built up sexual tension and the apprehension of what was to come. He slipped one finger to the edge of her opening and swirled it around the tight hole. If he thought that her grip on his hair was ridiculously hard before, it increased tenfold as she moaned his name. He never thought that he would see his side of Sakura before…but he was definitely glad that he was now.

He was still swirling that finger around her hole in sync with his tongue around her jewel at the top of her mound. Sakura's eyes drifted shut and her back arched as she felt him slip that rebel finger into her quivering slick heat. Fireworks seemed to be building up in her lower abdomen, waiting to be released in a thunderous show behind her eyelids. She felt him stretching her, opening her, readying her for something much bigger and much, much more satisfying, she was sure of it. Kakashi couldn't hold in the guttural moan that broke free from his lips as he felt how tight she was. He didn't think anything of it, she's 20, she can't be a virgin…can she? He reveled in the thought of being her first, to mark her forever, to make her his. He added another finger to the first one and began pumping them in and out while mercilessly attacking her jewel and the rest of her slit with his tongue. She could feel her lower abdomen curling tighter and tighter. She was panting and moaning like crazy. She was close, he could tell by the tightening of her vagina. He stopped pumping in and out to scissor his fingers into a 'V', since she's a virgin, I might as well make it a little easier on her. He then started with the pumping again. He got to pump three times before she lost it. She screamed his name at the top of her lungs as the grip on his hair was unbelievably tight. Watching her climax was the most beautiful thing that he has ever seen in his life, and he wanted to savor every moment of it.

Sakura came down from her high to realize that she was floating…literally. Kakashi was carrying her to the bed and set her down with a plop. He discarded his own clothes and she couldn't help but stare at his stiff member. She could feel the juices flowing in full force from her hole at just the _look_ of him. He chuckled as she spoke, "How…is this going to work?" she motioned between his penis to her vagina. He climbed on top of her and started to kiss her in a fiery heat he didn't know he possessed until he was with her. As he pulled away he whispered, "Trust me on this one." she nodded her head. He smiled reassuringly as he positioned himself at her soaking entrance. He pushed his tip through her folds, reveling in the suction pulling him in like a vice. She stiffened a little at the new sensation of him entering her. He looked up at her as he noticed this. "Go ahead, it doesn't hurt…yet." she assured him. He slipped in further. She wrapped her legs around his lower back and pushed him in the rest of the way. She gave a gasp of pain mixed with raw pleasure. Kakashi glanced up hoping that he wasn't hurting her. Instead she moved against him, making him moan her name. He braced himself above her head and started a rhythm, in and out, in and out. She put her arms around his neck and brought him down for a soul-soaring kiss. She moaned into the kiss as he synced the movement of his tongue against hers with the motions of his dick sliding in and out of her wet heat. She moaned long and loud, "Kakasshiiiiii." he loved the way she said his name like that.

He felt her dig her fingernails into his shoulder blades making him growl at the little slivers of pain it caused him. She closed her eyes as he hit her sweet spot repeatedly. "Oh! Faster! Please Kakashi…I need more! Ooo right there!" she cried out his name every time he hit that spot. He pounded in and out of her in a flurry of limbs and panting. She was close again and he knew it just as well as she did. He shifted their positions so he got in deeper. "Kakashi…I'm gonna….Oh God I! Kakashi!" she repeated his name as her body lifted off of the bed in a perfect bow. He moaned her name as he came "Sakura…." he collapsed on top of her. With a last burst of energy he didn't know that he possessed, he flipped their positions yet again so that she was laying on top of him. She sighed contently as she was sprawled half on him and half on the bed. He began to play with her hair as she did his. "Kakashi…that was…amazing…" he chuckled at the awe in her voice. "I know…you were the amazing part." she looked up and saw the sincerity shining in his eyes and she couldn't help it, the words just slipped out of her mouth like a river did down a waterfall…

"I love you, Kakashi." Kakashi's eyes widened exponentially for a moment before he calmed back down and looked down at her with a loving look in his eyes. "I love you too, Sakura." she snuggled closer into his chest and they fell asleep.

The next morning they were awoken by several gasps and a couple of "I knew it!"…..

**TBC**

**I know that this story may seem a little fast paced… I can't help it…it's how I write. That was my first ever lemon! Tell me how you liked it! **

**Here is a special shout-out to all of those who have reviewed The New Roommate so far!:**

_Fire Neko 2305_

_Xx.Flyleaf.Fan.xX_

_Dfisher25_

_Shadow Miko _

_Fallenangelkokoro_

_Shinigami-chan_

_Archiemouse_

_Animefan28_

_Mewsthecat_

_Pance_

_Bakagirl101_

_HalfBloodPhoenix_

_BlueAura11_

_Akatsuki'sBloodyNekoNinja_

_Nosferatu523_

_Diamondprinces_

_Fairy246_

_Shkh4ever_

_Goddess Psyche _

_Anbu-Kakashi-girl666_

**Keep up with the reviews everybody!!**


	7. War?

**Yo! Platti here! I'm sorry that it took so long for this chapter to come out and I understand if half of you guys don't review…cuz personally, I hate it, I think that it sucks! Without hampering your reading any further….here is the next chapter of TNR!! (And no, this isn't the last chapter, not JUST yet ;)) ENJOY:**

Kakashi groaned as he was awoken so rudely by such uncaring shinobi. Aren't they suppose to be the masters of _quiet_? Not this bunch, apparently. Sakura was fighting down a blush as she stayed on her side with her face buried in Kakashi's side. The white-haired Jounin was trying desperately to keep his face unseen, he didn't want so many people to discover the mystery (or so they thought) of his face. Shikamaru just muttered something about 'troublesome'. Tsunade however, wasn't so kind. "Hatake! Haruno! What's going on here?" she was one irate woman, indeed, decided Kakashi within his own mind.

Sakura heard as all of the other people (whether shinobi or not) shuffled none-to-quietly out of their shared apartment. She wished that Tsunade would do the same, even though she already knew that is was highly unlikely for the Hokage to do this. Kakashi didn't seem to be bothered when she glanced over at him. "Sakura…." Tsunade said warningly. The pink-haired Jounin didn't want to be bothered at the moment, this woman really knew how to ruin the morning after, didn't she? Sakura thought bitterly to herself with an outward huff of indignation. "Yes Tsunade-sama?" she plastered on a fake not-so-friendly smile. "I came here to give you two a mission." Sakura's face turned serious quickly, "What exactly is this mission?" Tsunade's face turned grave.

Kakashi and Sakura couldn't remember such a time when Team Kakashi was fully reunited with everyone under such a dreary condition. Sai, Yamato, Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura and Kakashi stood before the main gate of Konoha. "What exactly does this mission entail?" Sai was the first to inquire. Kakashi shifted into a more comfortable position as he explained their almost suicidal mission. "As you all should know by now, our village and the Sand village are going to war with the other Hidden Villages, what you probably don't know, is that they are all on the move now. Our mission is to go behind the enemy lines and see just how many enemies are on the move exactly. We are to relay the information to Leaf by bird and meet up with a few teams in the Sand village. Our mission gets even riskier from there. We are to then dispatch from Sand to engage the enemy with their shinobi. This mission's not just ours, Team Asuma, Team Kurenai and Team Gai will also be doing the same, however, they will be engaging the enemy once we head out to Sand, their job, like ours is to hold off the enemy and do whatever in our powers to keep the enemy from advancing any further into the Fire Country, and overall, our village. Their plans are to take down the biggest threat to them: Konoha, then they are going to turnaround and attack the Sand. Since there are so many enemy ninja, we are going to confront them before they reach either of the villages…we will be killing two birds with one stone, per say."

Naruto looked a little uneasy which is unusual for him. Sakura had already heard it all, Sasuke looked slightly uneasy, yet pumped up a little, Yamato had a look on his face that said 'I'm to old for this shit', Sai had his ever present fake smile on his face. Kakashi on the other hand, wasn't to keen on this foreboding that had found it's way through his every vein and settled in the pit of his stomach, no matter how positive he thought, the feeling didn't disappear. "Do we know exactly where the enemy might be right now?" Sakura asked breaking Kakashi away from his inner turmoil for now. "It is rumored that all of the armies have combined in the land of Lightning, which should take us about three days non-stop to get to." Kakashi knew what the next question was going to be. Naruto spoke up next, "Well why are we going to gather information about this army first instead of just doubling back and heading to Sand and gathering our own forces and just heading into the fray? Aren't Team Asuma, Kurenai and Gai heading there anyways, why don't they just relay the message themselves?" when did Naruto become so analytical? Kakashi thought with a little chuckle to himself.

"Well you see Naruto, those teams aren't going to be dispatched until we have confirmed these reasons." Naruto just went 'Oh' and fell quite. Sasuke asked the next question, "Won't it just waste time if we go to Lightning, to just double-back and head to Sand? Sand from Lightning is six days away, if we take breaks, if we run non-stop with only very few breaks, it would still take us about four and a half days." Kakashi had already thought this all out with the Hokage and Sakura. He dreaded letting out this bit of information. "Team Asuma, will be heading out about this time tomorrow after us, if we see that the army is advancing to fast, Team Asuma will hold them off, with a few of us….until we can relay the information and head to Sand." everybody's face looked serious. Kakashi knew that they would all think that it is their job to stay behind, he would stay behind himself…if he weren't the leader of the team that is. "Before we head out, who is willing to stay behind? There has to be at least three of you…" Sakura hadn't heard this part yet. "What if either of the teams needs a medic? There is only one of me!" she asked frantically. Kakashi hadn't really thought about that one yet.

"We could ask Tsunade for another medic…" he rubbed his cloth covered chin in thought. He looked at Naruto thoughtfully, he could just send him out with one of his shadow clones… "Naruto-" he was interrupted by the blonde "I'm already on it!" he formed the correct seals and sent the clone on his way to the Hokage office. Now they would have to wait.

Shizune came running down with Naruto's clone she looked disheveled as she stalled in front of the team. Naruto's clone disappeared in a poof of smoke. "I was sent to join you guys on this mission." her breath came in rugged breathes as she looked up at Kakashi for confirmation. "Good…now like I was saying…who's willing to stay behind?" he glanced over the whole team and hoped to God that Sakura didn't say that she would. "I will." Naruto said decisively a look of determination hardened his usually soft features as he stared into his old sensei's eye. Kakashi couldn't help but feel the stab that pierced his heart. He didn't want to see his old student who he loved as a close friend throw his life away like that. He broke Naruto, he stared at the ground. "I will, as well." Sai spoke up just as determined as Naruto seemingly. Kakashi nodded. "I will stay with them as well…." Yamato said after Sai. Kakashi couldn't stand seeing all of his friends doing this…he already lost Genma, he didn't want anymore coffins on his conscious. "I will be the medic for their team." Shizune mumbled almost incoherently. "Okay, then it's settled…Sakura, Naruto and I will head to Sand." Kakashi looked over at Naruto as he spoke, "Wait a second! I thought that you said we would all go together!" he sounded determined to win this argument

"Yes that is what I originally said…but it will be a lot faster and easier if we split up, besides the other team will be the fastest. Shizune, you will be their leader." Shizune nodded affirmatively. They left in a rush. Kakashi stood rooted to the spot before the open gates of the Leaf village. He turned ever so slightly. He looked up and over at the Hokage Monument. He stared at his old sensei and he spoke lowly as if conversing with himself. "Minato…what would you do? Would you really send your own son to what could be his death? I'm a horrible sensei and friend…I promised you long ago that I wouldn't let him die in such a horrible way…that I would protect him…and I still keep that promise." he turned back and fled out of the village and took to the treetops in a flash of green and white. Naruto and Sakura followed quickly.

Kakashi didn't look back at his teammates as they sped through the forest that clung to the edge of the southern part of the Fire country.

The sunlight broke through the thick foliage and bathed Kakashi in it's rays. He looked up and saw the sky in the breaks between the clumps of the leaves on the higher branches of the old trees. The sky was a forget-me-not shade of blue with puffs of white here and there.

Naruto could tell that something was off with his team leader…but what is it? He glances over at his other teammate, Sakura, but her head was tilted upwards as well. Naruto knew in his mind that this could be the last mission that any of them will ever go on. He refuses to let anything like that happen to Sakura, or Kakashi, Yamato, Shizune, Sai, Sasuke either. He shook his blonde head and a grim look of determination crossed his handsome features.

Sakura couldn't help but think as she saw the bits and pieces of sky through the trees, that this could be her last mission ever. But, no matter what she was going to stand by her teammates and friends she already knew that they were probably thinking along the same lines as she was.

Kakashi's eye hardened at the thought of losing one of his teammates. 'No, not this time, never again will I let that happen.' His Sharingan spun wildly behind his headband as he thought about it and the adrenaline ran through his veins.

For hours, they sped on, not anyone dare to complain about the grueling pace set out for them. They knew, all of them, that this wasn't only for they Sand village, but their own village as well. Another ten minutes passed by, unheeded by the seemingly uncaring, robotic shinobi. Kakashi jumped down onto the dirt covered forest floor without a sound. Without speaking he starts to set up camp. Naruto and Sakura move into the forest, both heading in separate directions. Sakura wandered off to find wood for the fire, while Naruto went in search of water and food.

A shake in the bush to his immediate right made Kakashi jump up and into battle mode. Kakashi's eye widened at what crawled out from underneath said bush.

Naruto squeezed the last of the accumulated water out of his black undershirt. His cerulean eyes gazed beneath the waters slick surface, in search of anymore fish that he might be able to capture for food. After a couple of minutes, he threw his hands up into the air in mock defeat, they had enough to eat for the three of them off of the fish he already caught, anyways. There was no need for anymore…he wasn't especially hungry that night anyways.

Sakura picked up another stick that seemed 'fire-worthy' and added it to the top of her steadily growing pile with distaste. "Kakashi better not bitch about my firewood this time." She mumbled indignantly to herself. She chuckled as she remembered the puppy-dog face that Kakashi, her lover had given her the other day when she said something teasingly to him. He could be so damn adorable sometimes, and she was still awed at the fact that his adorable and his angry moments were hers and hers alone. She smiled, despite her heavy load of firewood as she made her way back to the camp.

Kakashi offered the dying ninja some medical assistance before he dies. The ninja looked up at Kakashi as he said his final words, "Please…warn….Gaara-sama….they are on their way…they split into two groups…" a choke and a splatter of blood across his already blood-dampened chest signaled the brave Sand ninja's death.

Whistling could be heard coming from all directions in the woods as Naruto happily made his way back to camp with the fish in one hand, neatly strung together with metal coil, and a large bottle of fresh spring water in the other. He met Sakura halfway on his way back to the camp, with her large pile of firewood. He looked over at her and silently appraised her for finding such a good amount of usable firewood. He felt bad so he offered to carry some of the wood for her. He ended up carrying ninety-nine percent of _her _firewood _and _the food and water, he didn't object though, it isn't like he couldn't handle it or anything.

Kakashi for the umpteenth time in his life felt helpless. 'What am I suppose to do now? Should I head out with Naruto and Sakura to take out the enemy team before they reach the Sand or Leaf? Or should I warn the Kazekage and get reinforcements from there?'. his head was feeling slightly heavy with all of the possibilities and their possible outcomes, positive or negative. Naruto and Sakura fell silent at the sight of the dead Sand shinobi. Kakashi stared blankly at them as they fired off with the questions, as he had expected of them, and boy did they not disappoint.

"What are we suppose to do?" Naruto, sounding exasperated asked. Sakura for the first time since the dilemma spoke, "If we go ahead and tell Gaara, which we were originally going to do, then the other group of enemy shinobi will reach Konoha and with all of the Jounin, ANBU and Chunnin out on high level missions due to the sudden uprising in Missing-nin activity, meaning that only citizens, genins, academy students and retired shinobi are left to protect the village, aside from the medic-nins and Tsunade." her emerald eyes shone with her skepticism on the subject. Naruto caught onto her train of thought automatically, "So you're saying that the uprising in Missing-nin activity is directly connected with the war we are about to fight in are in some way?" His bright blue eyes were dim, shadows passed over them. "Then that means… one of us will have to brave it by ourselves to the Sand village." he didn't pose it as a question, more of a statement.

Everybody got quiet extremely quick. Kakashi couldn't believe that Naruto would state such a thing. "We could send in Pakkun to warn Gaara." he suggested weakly, running out of ideas to avoid somebody braving it alone to the Sand village. Sakura shook her head in a negative manner. "We can't do that, as you know, Pakkun isn't a fighting type of a dog--" Kakashi cut her off before she could finish her sentence, "He will fight if he really has to." Sakura continued where she left off before Kakashi had interrupted her, "He may fight, but the chances of him dying before reaching Sand are very high, and you know that Kakashi." Kakashi fell silent, she was right, and he knew it well.

Naruto stayed silent himself. He knew that she was right as well. On the other hand, he was the one who frequently visited Gaara, so he was the one who knew the land between the edge of the Fire country and the way into the Hidden Sand village the best, he was the only one that was fit for the job, and he knew it. Kakashi glanced from Sakura to Naruto, he didn't want to make either of them do this suicide mission, what if the enemy split into another group? It's way to dangerous to send one of them…he made up his mind, 'I'll go.' he thought to himself sternly.

"I'll go." Naruto stated before Kakashi could, not planning on changing his mind no matter what Kakashi or Sakura said. Kakashi blinked, and slowly the meaning of Naruto's suddenly spoken words sunk into the silver-haired man and he saw Naruto in a whole new light. "I don't want to put you into that position, Naruto." Kakashi said honestly, almost pleading him not to go. Naruto didn't speak immediately at first. When he spoke his words were grave and unchanging, " I know the way the best and you know it Kakashi, besides you and Sakura will make it to the other team in Lightning quicker without another teammate, and vice versa for me."

Kakashi fell silent yet again; Sakura spoke this time, "I have faith in you, Naruto." her voice was hard and soft at the same time. She was holding back so many emotions at once, she knew that it had to be done by somebody, yet she knew that this could be the last time that she saw Naruto alive, ever again.

Sakura rushed forward and crushed Naruto into a hug and spoke into his ear, "Promise me that you will come back alive." she hugged him tighter as the overflow happened, tears streamed down her already red and streaked cheeks, renewing the wetness. Her shoulders shook as her eye watered again, getting her ready for another bout of tears. Naruto and Kakashi just looked on in silent pain. She shook harder as her voice cracked, "Promise me!" He extricated himself from her grasp and held her out at arms length, and while looking her directly in the eyes he stated, "I promise you that I won't die, besides, I can't die, not until I become the Hokage!" his smile seemed to make her tears stop. "You…you need to be with Kakashi anyways." he stepped away from her and wiped away the rest of her tears with a finger and supplied her with another one of his gentle smiles. "I'm going to head out now, take good care of her Kakashi." he said sternly while focusing his attention on the older Jounin. He disappeared before Kakashi could answer him. Instead, Kakashi whispered into the wind, "Don't you worry about that, Naruto, I will, I promise."

The wind was fierce as Sakura and Kakashi moved at top speed to warn the other squad about the split in enemy forces. Their minds weren't on the task at hand, however, their minds were stuck on Naruto and how he was doing, the same person with which their heavy hearts and best wishes were with as well.

A sense of foreboding settled uncomfortably in the Uchiha's stomach as he and his teammates headed over the border into the Cloud country, and into Lightning territory. They hadn't taken any lengthy breaks, for they were told to keep moving at top speed with very little stops. Shizune didn't allow any time for 'chit-chat' either while on such a serious mission. Yamato's eyes ached as he struggled to keep them from burning and sliding closed, even applying chakra now and again to help it out. Sai, as indifferent as ever was staring blankly ahead, without any emotion displayed and his eyes just as blank as his face was. Shizune had the same sense of foreboding as Sasuke but didn't speak anything of it.

Sakura and Kakashi just passed the border of Cloud, and entered the Lightning territory. It has been about five to six hours since they had left Naruto. Their hearts and minds were still heavy with thoughts of him as they searched for their other comrades. Sakura couldn't fell tired or hungry, there was just no time for such trivial feelings, let alone the fact that she still felt numb after seeing her friend out onto a suicide mission that he may not return from, even though he had promised that he would. She glanced up into the clumps of leaves above her and in one of the clumps emerged the shape of her blonde-haired and blue-eyed teammate. She didn't say anything to Kakashi for he seemed to be just as troubled as her about Naruto right now. She could tell that he was really hurting inside, hell he'll probably even blame himself if something were to happen to Naruto on a suicide mission that _he had signed himself up for._

Kakashi couldn't help but think about Naruto, he just couldn't connect the dots as to why he would sign up for such a mission. As he looked over to his right and saw the tree trunks flying-by he could picture the look of grim determination on Naruto's face as he said that he would do it, he had reminded him of somebody else that he had known and loved as well. He just couldn't put his finger upon the name. It was a look like he knew that this mission could be his last, yet he accepted the fact with bravery. Kakashi's eye widened and the image of Obito's half crushed body flashed through his mind, filling every single one of his senses, he could smell the blood, his hands started shaking like they did on that day and he could hear Rin shouting for him to get up from under the rock, that he was going to be okay, that everything was going to be okay. He could feel Rin's hand in his own as he pulled her up and out of the ditch before the boulder ended his best friends life; he could feel the words "I promise to protect her Obito…no matter what." slip past his dry and cracked lips. He could almost feel the tears seeping through his mask as he mourned his friends death. Only when Obito's face was switched with Naruto's did his eye let loose the water that it had accumulated and dampened his mask. He lost his footing on the branch below and plummeted to the earth below, only to be saved by Sakura.

It was break time for Shizune's squad as they recharged and refueled themselves for their last stretch of the journey was before them now. It was debatable on whether they should actually sleep before engaging the enemy, it might boost their chakra levels. That was, until they heard a rustle in the bushes behind them. Hands flew to kunai and shuirken pouches ready to attack at the sign of an enemy.

"I've heard of stumbling upon your target but this is ridiculous Kakashi!" Sakura giggled under her breath at her flustered lover. Kakashi, however didn't look in the least amused at her antics. If only she knew the image that had caused his slip up. Her giggles turned up a volume as she found a bird's nest in Kakashi's hair and she moved forward to remove it. He caught her wrist and pulled her into him, causing their lips to crash together. They started getting heated as Kakashi slipped his mask down and they began rolling around on the forest floor, completely ignorant to the fact that their comrades were right on the other side of the bushes.

"My, My…Hatake." Shizune clucked her tongue at the attached couple only for them to split apart at the speed of light and Kakashi had his mask back up miraculously. Shizune's team was no longer tired, but now amused at catching Sakura and Kakashi together…in the middle of the woods….in the middle of an extremely important mission.

Naruto was winding his way through the trees high above the ground below him. His thoughts weren't on how fast he was going, nor were he was going, he knew the way by heart already. Instead his thoughts were back on Kakashi and Sakura and whether they are going to make it on time to the other team before they engaged with the enemy. If they got to them on time then they could head back to the Leaf village as one big team and support their village…while Naruto fought beside Gaara if it came down to it. He didn't fear for his life, in his perspective, if he dies, he dies, it's his friends that he doesn't want this to happen to. That is another big part of why he didn't let Kakashi jump up for the side mission that was just as important, he knew that he was going to try for it. The breeze got stronger as his feet pounded down upon the tree branches beneath them with renewed vigor as he set about his destination with a steely will.

Kakashi and Sakura, finally over their embarrassment, stood up steadily, Kakashi with a little bit of a groan, he had just fallen out of a tree…Sakura had dropped him from the height at which she had stopped him. Shizune's eyes toned down a little as she looked them over, realizing that there was a big part missing from their appearance, Naruto. "Where's Naruto?" Yamato asked curiosity leaking into his usually stoic voice. Sakura and Kakashi suddenly fell silent at the mention of their teammate. Shizune's team had a feeling of dread sweep over them all at once. Even Sai had a bad feeling about the crestfallen look on Kakashi and Sakura's faces. It was quiet for a couple more minutes as Kakashi stared down at his feet, as if inspecting his ninja sandals. Sakura knew that they had a right to know…that they needed to know and she refused to do what Kakashi was doing on an account of guilt that she felt.

She looked up at Shizune as she spoke, her eyes drifted to different people. "We were informed by a very reputable source that the enemy has already moved and have split into two different groups, meaning that their numbers are much greater than we had first predicted, Naruto decided to take a side mission of running to Sand on his own to warn them, we just hope that he doesn't get caught by the enemy before he reaches his destination." she finished with a shaky inhale and exhale. Shizune didn't speak, nor did anybody else on her team for a while. Sasuke spoke, uncertainly for the first time, breaking the eerie silence that had surrounded them all; "What are we suppose to do now then?" the question rolled off of his tongue with hesitancy. "We must head back to Konoha and back our village up as one big team." Sakura stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Then what do we do about Naruto?" Sasuke was getting a little flustered at the thought of leaving his best friend/brother behind, maybe for his death. Sakura didn't even flinch at the Uchiha's tone of voice. "He will help the Sand village if they need it, if not, he will be meeting us back at home." '_She states it as if it is that easy! With the enemy split into two separate groups…he may not even have a slim chance of making it back home if he decides to start the journey.'_ Sasuke's thoughts only darkened from there on out.

Kakashi chose to look up at the Uchiha only to see him clenching his fist and jaw with anger. This doesn't look good he thought to himself as he remembered the last time they all had an irate Uchiha on their hands, he shivered at the prospect. Before things could escalate, he spoke up, "I think that he will make it back if he were to try, this is Naruto we are talking about here, so why don't we head back to the village _before_ the enemy reaches Tsunade?" Kakashi didn't wait for an answer as he turned around to jump into the trees, that was until Sasuke spoke again, "That's a bit rich coming from a man who was just wasting time making out with Sakura on a forest floor…" he could almost hear the smirk in the uppity Uchiha heir's voice. He couldn't help but chuckle inside himself as he sped off, not waiting for everybody else to get ready.

Naruto stepped into the desert, the worst part of the journey to date. He knew that the desert was known for huge windstorms that would leave you stranded for days maybe even weeks if caught in one. He didn't have the time for one of those. He also knew that the area left him wide open for any enemy attacks, which was yet another disadvantage. "This is the only way." he stated, steeling his will with his words. The sky was dusted with cirrus clouds, giving it a surreal look as Naruto stumbled over his own feet, it had been to long since he had had water. He fought the strings on his backpack as he dug into it for the last drops of the liquid heaven. With renewed energy from the water, Naruto headed out into the desert heat , out from under his rock precipice, yet again.

Gaara was sitting at his desk as the Kazekage, all of his forces where at the front gates of the village, prepared if the enemy were to attack them first before Konoha. Gaara had already heard the news that Naruto was sent to give to him, so now all he had to do was await the blonde's arrival. A rushed knock on the door signaled the end of his thoughts and the entrance of Naruto Uzumaki.

Kakashi and crew didn't know how much longer they could keep this up, they were definitely running on low as far as fuel and energy go, they have been at this for the longest time now, not only were the on a tight schedule with only scarce breaks here and there, but there was also the fact that the enemy is getting just as close to their village as they are…if they loosen up even a smidgen on speed then they are royally fuc- "Do you think that we will make it back to the village before the enemy does?" Sai asked trying to quench his own desire to know. "Let's not dwell on such things…" Shizune said for not just herself but most likely everybody else in the group.

Gaara couldn't help but feel bad for Naruto he had come all of this way for nothing…alone. "I already know what you are about to tell me, Naruto-kun." the look on Naruto's face was a cross between relieved and furious. "So you mean to tell me that I came all this way for NOTHING!! ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!?" Gaara looked slightly helpless at his friends outburst. Before he could respond, Naruto just walked towards the door in silence. Gaara asked "Where are you going, Naruto?" he was genuinely curious, which is a first for the red-head. "I am going to help protect my village, I am heading back, if you already know what is needed for you to know, then there is no reason for me to be here during the time of war." he didn't await Gaara's response, he proceeded out the door and after grabbing some food and water, into the desert once again.

Shizune could see the sun rising as she shook awake Kakashi, the other captain with a rushed voice, "I can hear the enemy, they are right behind us, we need to hurry. They are going to stumble upon us." Kakashi didn't need another telling about the current predicament. He was up and already shaking awake Sakura, who had slept beside him.

Everybody was ready to attack, they hadn't planned on engaging with the enemy until they were back on Konoha soil, but might as well get them before they get us was Shizune and Sasuke's explanations for such rash decisions; besides, as an ambush, they had the upper hand on the enemy, but with such a vast number against them, it can prove to be difficult. The footsteps of the enemy ninja was in synch with the heartbeat in Sakura's ears as she tried to focus on anything besides the prospect of dying at such a young age, she signed up for it when she decided to become a shinobi instead of a small shop owner. Hushed whispers from the army of enemies could be heard all throughout the forest, even the barest of them.

"Kyoko, we need to be careful, word has it that the Konoha and Sand ninja already know about us and are planning to attack us." Kyoko turned to the brown haired shinobi that had spoke to him and stated softly as he could "What do you think that we were intending to do? If we take these hidden villages down, nobody will be left in our way of taking over the world. So don't worry about it too much, okay, Keiko?" the younger shinobi had a bad feeling about what was to come, but he was trained at a young age not to ask questions when it came to his line of work…he wasn't about to start asking them now.

Yamato had sent out a wood clone to spy on the conversation of Keiko and Kyoko and he whispered the news of their whereabouts and their information on their ambush that they had set up for the still unsuspecting shinobi. The wood clone of Yamato snuck back into the tree behind it and sent the information to the real Yamato and disappeared.

Yamato shook his head in a negative manner, "They know nothing about us ambushing them." Shizune let forth a breath in unison with Sai and Sasuke that none of them were aware they had been holding. "How far away are they, Yamato?" Shizune asked as she tried peaking through the leaves on the trees, "They should be below us in five minutes." Kakashi pulled Shizune back as a kunai was aimed right for her head. "Holy shit." she said a little too loudly. Kyoko stood below them and relayed to his captain and teammates, "They are above us…I almost got one, they are planning on ambushing us I am assuming." the captain stepped out of the line of trees on the other side of the clearing and applauded Kyoko on his find. "Hicho, see if you can sense how many of them they are…" without needing to be told twice, Hicho got right on to the task set about for him. "There are…six of them, sir."

Keiko thought deeply for a moment, "They must be Leaf ninja…if so, where is their backup?" he posed the question to himself rather than generally. "We can attack 'em now right?" Kyoko said eagerly. "No, we don't know if the one you almost hit is really with all of the others. We won't attack until we verify all of their locations." Keiko stooped down a little lower to the ground as his hard blue eyes searched the lines of trees for any suspicious movement from Kakashi and Shizune's team. "They are all together." with that, every man he was commanding attacked. All of the other enemies and their captains followed suit.

Naruto didn't have such a great feeling about this whole 'heading back to Konoha' idea… he had a feeling that none of his teammates where there yet, if at all. "But if I don't go and I head to where Kakashi and Sakura were suppose to meet up with Shizune's team, I could be wasting valuable time that I don't really have." he sighed a heavy sigh, much too heavy for a man of his young age. He had made up his mind, and with that destination in his mind's eye, his pace doubled.

Kakashi had never in his life seen so many enemies after his heads. He ducked as a blow came straight for his head he used the enemies momentum against him and grabbed his outstretched arm and pulled with his own weight behind it. The enemy capsized over the branch that Kakashi was perched on, plunging to his death. He looked over to his immediate left and saw Sasuke fighting with three Jounin. Shizune was also in battle with the captain, as was Yamato….and Sai. '_Sakura….where is Sakura!!'_ his mind was spinning, he couldn't find her! Did she fall to her death? Did she get killed? Did she runaway? All of these questions were running through the silver-haired man's thoughts…none of them positive.

Naruto never was very directionally inclined…and it showed at the particular moment that he circled the same tree over three or four times. "I think that this is the only way left…" he sped eastwards at full speed, hoping that he might actually get somewhere this time around. The sun went down in the west, casting it's colorful rays, discoloring the sky. Naruto knew now that he was heading in the right direction, Cloud was always were the sun set. The sky looked red to him as he used a small burst of chakra to speed himself up. He had a bad feeling about this whole ordeal.

Leaves flew around in a hurricane like fashion as the blonde haired woman made her way down the main street of Konoha, it was as if the very population of the village was hiding away somewhere. It was as if they know that their very lives could be in danger even though the very best of Konoha was sent off to hold the enemies at bay, until the other Chuunin, Jounin and ANBU get back from their missions. She would send for them all…but she didn't know exactly where they all were and she can't possibly send the birds out now…for fear that they will get intercepted by the wrong people. She sighed as she looked at the bar in front of her. "This isn't times for the Hokage to be drinking." she turned and half-expected to see Genma standing there with his senbon tilted in it's normal fashion ready to use. However, it was just Asuma. Tsunade huffed as he lit up another cigarette in place of the one he had just finished. "Shouldn't you be on gate duty? I assigned it to you." she admitted to herself, that was a stupid remark, she just didn't care if it was or not. He had told her she can't do something; she thought with an inward pout. "The sky is red as the sun sets…" her eyes widened as she ran back to the Hokage tower in a rush.

Okay...that was odd….Asuma didn't think anything else of it before he headed off in a rush back to his post. Kotetsu sighed along with Izumo, "Protecting the west gate isn't as entertaining as it is to protect the main one." Kotetsu glanced over at his long time friend for a brief second. Izumo looked frustrated, his lengthy hair billowing around his face, without the headband on he looked odd to Kotetsu. He shrugged it off, "You heard what they said, a war is comin' our way, that's why the two Jounin left in Konoha are protecting the main gate, I heard that's where the army's gonna be headin'." Izumo didn't respond, he just tied his headband back on and tipped his chair back to look up at the worn out ceiling of the registration desk, this couldn't get anymore boring; he thought to himself sleepily.

Kurenai wasn't one to really get all that upset over one of her buddies taking a little break…but it is a whole different story when they are suppose to be manning the main gate to their village. "Where is he!" she shouted, flustered, she could be home watching their child, Kurisu, but NO he just HAD to take forever with THEIR shift. She sighed a long heavy sigh. She couldn't be mad at him, she loves him way to much for it.

The forest creaked with an unknown threat, the leaves swing to and fro on their branches, awaiting to cling if need be, were a windstorm to occur. The trees seemed to be standing ominously tall as well. One ninja disturbed the forest with a kunai sailing through the air and landing deeply into the bark of the tree behind the target. A curse could be heard above the thickening wind and thunder. The clouds rolled in as lightning flared and rained threatened to come down in torrents. The enemy moved at the speed of sound, using the darkness to his advantage, he seemed to move with the agility of a native of the forest as he set about his strike. His sword raised into the air, a downward arc is made, lighting flares and the glint of metal is burned forever into the emerald eyes of the Kunoichi as her heart thuds slower, the thunder rolls as she tumbles downward, the ground coming up fast. She hi- "What the…" Naruto woke up with a start. He realized a couple things at once: he just had a nightmare that Sakura died, he was sore _all over_ and the enemy was nowhere in sight.

Blue eyes closed temporarily; images flooded in, he tried to collect them all and put them in correct order. His muscles twitched with the sudden release of previous tension. Naruto groaned as his knee came up under his left side, moving dust and old telltale leaves with it. He put a bit of weight on it, testing his muscle response to it. He repeated the movement with his right leg. Next his arms came out in front of him to balance him on his hands and knees. He was lucky that his arms caught him before his face hit the ground. His knee had slipped on the leaves beneath them and almost caused him to meet face to face with the Earth…again. He stood up carefully and worked out the kinks in his body by stretching in various, flexibility testing ways. "I'm glad that I didn't have a run in with too many enemy ninjas…I think I got'em all…" he wobbled his way over to the nearest tree. "This is going to be a rough one." he took to the trees in search of food and water.

Gaara hasn't seen hide nor tail of any enemy, if they do make it past the desert, they will have to deal with his well-armed forces. He almost felt bad for them, _almost._ Kankuro and Temari stood on either side of him as he took his post on top of the village walls, commanding the forces from above. He decided now was the time to give his speech, for he could now see the enemy coming across the horizon. Kankuro stiffened beside him, as did Temari, they could see them as well. It was an impressive amount of ninja, Gaara decided to take them down quite a few notches as far as numbers go.

Naruto sat underneath the tree closest to the secluded lake. He bit into an apple as he also took a swig from the water bottle that he always carried in his extra kunai pouch. He already felt better. The enemies that he had been ambushed by were scouts, since they are all dead they can't report to anybody; then again their lengthy absence may also cause the enemy to assume that they had been intercepted by Konoha or Sand ninja. Either way, Naruto knew that he would have to fight before he reached his village. He stood upright and filled his water bottle to the brim until water overflowed into his hand and took off with two extra apples for the road.

Sakura was fighting on the ground below Kakashi, impossible to see in the sea of enemies. She couldn't count the number of times that her head had almost been chopped off, had she not been so quick as a shinobi. Heck, even a citizen would be quick if they had saw somebody swing at their head like that. She dodged blow after blow, she didn't even have time to think about what she was going to do next to knock down a few more enemies. She only thought about what could happen to her precious village if she lets these enemies get away from her grasp. She also felt bad for them in a way, if any of them are to make it, they have to deal with Tsunade, and she is much harsher when it comes to cracking potentially dangerous skulls.

Sasuke had never killed so many people in his life with just his eyes, and that's saying a lot considering he did live with the sick and twisted Orochimaru. He moved slightly to the right and faked being hit by a Jounin, he used his momentum to jump backwards into a flip like roll then pivoted his leg out in midair and knocked the enemy in the jaw, sending him reeling to his death below the crowded tree branches. The numbers didn't show any signs of lessening no matter how many people he killed. He looked down below them and realized that Shizune and Sakura both were fighting for their lives alone down there. He tried his hardest to think of a way to get rid of the group of enemies quickly. However, he knew as well as everybody else on his team he was sure, that this group wasn't the biggest nor is it the only…there has to be more than two of them. There were only about thirty to forty-five enemies left. He signaled to Kakashi when he could get a chance in between jutsus.

Kakashi caught sight of Sasuke's signal and made his way carefully to the Uchiha heir. Out of the corner of his Sharingan (for he had already pulled his headband up during the beginning of the fight.) a short and stout nemesis come from above the foliage, bearing down upon him with a long katana. Kakashi wasn't too keen on getting cut up at the moment. He looked for a way to swerve to, hoping that the man would get his sword stuck in the tree branch he was standing on at the last moment. Everywhere he looked, he saw enemies coming his way. "Shit! What am I suppose to do!" he snarled/shouted to himself in the midst of the circle of the incoming shinobi.

Naruto didn't waste time in jumping into the fight that he had saw brewing between his comrades and the enemy forces. Rock, Grass, Cloud and Mist shinobi along with Sound shinobi all mixed together to take down the two most powerful Hidden Villages in the shinobi world. His blue eyes hardened as he pounced on the first enemy he saw.

Kakashi was helpless and he knew it. He decided right then and there that he refused to die like this, there was so much that he had to tell Sakura, to see with Sakura…there was just so much to explore with her and about her. He didn't want to see his old teammates just yet! He knew that if he just jumped down than he wouldn't be able to help Sasuke; he decided to go straight through one of the enemies, with the last remaining bit of his chakra. Before he could even form the seals for Chidori a cry rang out above all of the fighting. Shinobi nearby Kakashi looked up discreetly and quickly.

"RASENGAN!" Naruto's voice carried to the end of the forest it seemed. He drilled a hole through two of the enemies blocking his path to Kakashi. He stood with bloodstained hands and a look of killing determination alighting his eyes. He meant business; and for a split second, Kakashi feared that just maybe, Naruto wasn't going to recognize him by the glint that he saw in his eyes. "Are you okay Kakashi?" he had dropped the sensei a long time ago, along with the rest of his ex-students, not that Sasuke ever really called him 'Kakashi-sensei.' Kakashi just nodded and signaled for him to join the escalating fray.

Sasuke took Kakashi behind the tree he was standing on, on ground level, away from the fight for a second. "I have an idea…I hope that it works…but first we need all of the other members of the team, including Naruto." Kakashi just nodded his head as Sasuke began to whisper his partaking into his ear with all of the carefulness that an Uchiha possessed, which is a lot.

Yamato could already feel the drain that the fight was taking on him physically and mentally, he had long since run out of new ways to kill the enemies, so he resorted to mostly wood based attacks…they never saw it coming, every time. "Mokudon!" he shouted as a sharp twig wound it's way around three of the enemies and stabbed them all through the hearts. He couldn't keep this up very much longer…and he knew it. He looked over to see Sasuke waving him over in a frantic sort of manner.

Shizune was trying her best to keep her hands in the correct seals for her poison mist. She opened her mouth inhumanly wide and gassed four of the enemies, making them drop dead from breathing in the poisonous gas. She didn't want to use anymore of her chakra, she can't she is one of the medical ninja on this mission and she can't let herself die or suffer of chakra exhaustion, one of her teammates may need healing soon, she knew that she did. She had a cut from her left shoulder to the top of her left breast and it was looking gory, it was pretty deep, making her clothes turn a deep color of red. She saw Sasuke waving her over and despite her injuries disagreement, she obliged to the young Uchiha's call, "This better be good." she whispered to herself as she fought her way to him

Sai was already at Sasuke's side before he could even signal him over, Sasuke didn't say anything about his surprise at his old replacements amazing speed in the heat of battle. All that was left now was Naruto and Sakura…that shouldn't be to hard…

Naruto saw the majority of his teammates heading towards Sasuke at some point during their battles. He wondered what he talked to them about, wasn't fighting the little bit of remaining enemies first before having a powwow more important? He didn't think about it as he saw Sasuke signal him and Sakura over next (Sakura and Naruto were fighting side by side)

The plan was all set into place, now it's just up to everybody to get it in the right order…Yamato's up first… "Mokudon!" sounded through out the forest, as another much more manipulated forest sprung up from the ground, creating a sort of tree arena in favor of the Konoha shinobi. Next came Shizune, "Poison Mist!" resounded throughout the makeshift forest that Yamato had created. The forest was immediately filled with poisonous gas, but only in one part of the trees. This forced them all (according to Sasuke's plan) into the middle of the clearing Yamato had made in his tree jutsu. Sakura and Sai were up next, Sakura with a battle cry, smashed her injured fist into the ground, smashing it into millions of pieces of dirt flying through air. Sai created ten of his ink monsters and had them attack the shinobi caught in the confusion set up by Sakura

Only three remained, just as Sasuke had hoped. The full moon broke through the clouds above, leaving the shinobi wide open, no longer able to hide with the shadows like they had previously. The sound of ten thousand birds filled the air, twice. "Rasengan!" the shinobi remaining tried to flee for their lives before the Konoha ninja landed their jutsus on their targets. They were to slow, for Naruto, Kakashi, and Sasuke didn't miss even by a millimeter. "Yes…" Naruto hissed as he moved his shoulder too quickly into the air. "We still need to make it back to the village…so don't go 'Yes' just yet, dobe." Sasuke said with a tired smile at his friends old nickname that only he was allowed to use on him.

Tsunade hadn't heard about any advancements as in enemy movement yet, and she was worried about it as she shuffled through her papers. Wind blew in through the open window blowing her papers everywhere, even knocking over her sake bottle. "Wait a second…the window isn't open…" she looked up into the tired faces of seven shinobi. "We…we made it back alive." Naruto, sounding exasperated stated before collapsing. "What are you guys doing!? Head to the hospital now! Before you all die from blood and chakra loss!" she shooed them (and in the case of some of them, carried them) to the hospital to get treated.

She could already tell that they had engaged with the enemy…and won, that much was obvious from their physical appearance and injuries. Naruto is recovering just fine, as well as Shizune, Yamato and Sai. However, Sasuke and Kakashi were still in critical condition, they had used more than there ability in chakra capacity. They had used chidori far too many times and it showed in not only their chakra levels, but their arms and hands as well. She expected them to make full recoveries, it would just take a lot of her chakra and care.

Gaara hadn't seen so much death and blood in his natural born life, nor did he want to see it again. He was forced to use his ace move, the complete desert burial technique, and now he is drained, as is all of the other _alive_ shinobi he is sure of. He had already sent a bird to the Leaf village telling them of all of the news. Gaara had a feeling that their village was okay, "I have a feeling that a big part of it has to do with Naruto and Sasuke." he smiled as he remembered the bond he had seen displayed between the two of them when Naruto had brought Sasuke along on one of his visits to the Sand Village.

Mina opened the window to Naruto's hospital room and let the curtains lay in front of the window pane, making it look surreal when a surge of wind went through them. She smiled at Naruto as she headed out the door. She pulled the door shut until she heard a 'click' signifying it's closing. The curtains billowed and then deflated again, only to repeat the process. Naruto was a serene picture as his chest fell up and down in even with his breaths. He was in a standard hospital gown that was way to revealing if walked around in. The sun's rays bathed the tan skinned man in it's ethereal light, making him look almost heavenly. His eyes cracked open for the first time since he had been submitted to the hospital. His vision was a bit blurry as he looked around meticulously waiting to see if anything were to jump out at him. His muscles loosened as he realized that he was in the hospital and drifted back off into dreamland.

Shizune only had a cut and chakra loss to deal with. She was already running around in the hospital (minimally due to Tsunade's orders not to take it overboard because of her shoulder) doing her normal errands. She didn't say anything or answer any of Tsunade's questions on how they all were able to kill the whole group going after Konoha. All she would say was, "I guarantee you that the majority of the enemies went to the Sand Village, they probably figured that because the Sand village is bigger than our own that they are more of a threat than we are…boy were they wrong." she would always smile as she stated this. "But don't worry anymore, Tsunade, the 'war' is over now." she would smile yet again as she stated this as well.

Kakashi had come out of his coma easier than expected from his previous chakra and Sharingan induced comas. He was wandering the village now, along with Sakura. "I can't think about a better person for you to be with, Sakura." is what she had told her when Kakashi and herself had come to her about their relationship, of-course she had asked Kakashi about his intentions with her favorite ex-student. "But I'm your only ex-student." she would add polite as sugar. "Fine, see if I ever buy you something again, complainer." Tsunade rebuked indignantly. She couldn't help it if she sounded like a little kid, Sakura just seemed to have that kind of effect on her.

Sasuke and Naruto wound their way throughout the village, in search of their other teammates. "They said that they would be at my house in a half an hour." Sasuke spoke quietly, as if he was speaking to the wind itself. "Then where in the world are we going? Isn't your house that way?" the blonde pointed his finger in the opposite direction than they were going at the present moment. "Yes." Naruto looked at him in complete confusion. "I am going to pick up the dinner, you moron." he laughed at the pout that Naruto gave him for calling him a name.

Yamato and Sai headed out of their apartment buildings and met up halfway down the street. "We are all going to have a team dinner at traitor's house?" Sai still called Sasuke a traitor, even though he had proven himself to the elders, the Hokage and everybody else that he was indeed loyal to his old village, everybody, including Naruto and Sakura were already use to his nickname for their friend; he however, was the only person allowed to call him that. Otherwise, there would be hell to pay for who did.

Kakashi and Sakura found it amusing that for once, the one who had all of the money and the room as in housing was doing the formal dinner this time. Kakashi smiled down at Sakura. She smiled back up at him. "You know, I never thought that I would ever fall in love with you, Kakashi." Sakura couldn't keep it in anymore, she just loved him so much. "And I never thought that I would ever fall in love with you, Sakura." he had stopped them both and pulled them into an alleyway by one of the old Uchiha houses. He leaned in close to her.

Sakura could feel his breath on her cheek and mouth, making her crave it all the more. He could be such a tease sometimes, but he always made it damn well worth it in the end. He slipped his mask down carefully and slowly with the hand that wasn't propping him up in front of his Cherry Blossom. He smiled and she melted into a puddle of goo in front of him. '_He makes me feel as if I am the only person in the world, that's what I love about him.'_ she smiled at her inner thoughts as she pulled him by his tie, closing the distance between themselves.

Naruto and everybody were now waiting for Kakashi and Sakura, surprise, surprise, right? "Man I didn't think that when they got together that Kakashi would rub off on Sakura in all of the bad ways." Naruto whined for the hundredth time since they had been considered 'late'. Sasuke was getting ruffled because Naruto wouldn't just shut the fuck up. Sai was indifferent as always, while Yamato sat impatiently, but quietly at the same time, something the Uchiha wished that his friend would figure out how to do, soon.

Sakura felt bad about ditching her friends, but she couldn't help it, if they asked, Kakashi made her do it…he used his Sharingan! She smirked as she thought of the plan…all the way back to the apartment and to the bed.

X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.

The next morning, Sakura woke up and stretched like a cat, her back doing a perfect arc and she whispered to herself for Kakashi wasn't there at the moment, "Today is the day that I tell Kakashi that I'm pregnant."

X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.

**I hope that you guys enjoyed the chapter! Please review…XD the more you review the faster the chapters come out, remember that! ;) thanks for reading!!**


	8. Tears and happiness?

_**Platti here! With the final chapter of The New Roommate, there might be a sequel, I am unsure though, I would like to dedicate this chapter to xgaarax, for being my inspiration at 1:30 in the morning and helping me with my writer's block without even being aware of it, please REVIEW , and say whether you think a sequel should be put in place or not…enjoy.**_

_Kakashi knew that she was awake. Nobody moved a muscle or made a sound. The silence was comfortable filled with thudding hearts and deep breaths. Sakura rolled over to land softly on top of Kakashi's chest. She peeked up at him smiling. He smiled back down at her, enjoying her beautiful features, her button-like nose, her almond shaped jade orbs, her petal soft lips. Sakura as if in synch with Kakashi, took in a deep breath as he did and exhaled slowly, not a sound of frustration, but a sound of bliss and relaxation. _

"_Naruto and Sasuke are going to kill us." Sakura didn't like the thought of facing her teammates just yet. She half blocked out Kakashi's obvious statement and huffed as she rolled herself off of him and onto her feet. _

"_I figured that I would just blame it all on you." she said with a hint of a teasing smile to her tone of voice. She let out a chuckle barely above a whisper of a sound. _

"_I don't think that's fair, little missy, you see, last night wasn't __all_ me." a light blush dusted her cheeks at his suggestive and accusing tone. He laughed boisterously at her flustered appearance.

"I am assuming that you expected me to just go along with that plan, eh?" she didn't answer him as she picked up random clothing garments off of the ground, all the while cursing inside her head. _Why that little bastard, to think he thinks that ditching Sasuke and Naruto was all my idea. What a jerk._ She huffed as she searched _everywhere_ for her black bra. She huffed in indignation, she couldn't handle it anymore. She wheeled around to face Kakashi. She lost her balance and fell forward into his chest. She spoke, her words muffled by his bare skin. He chuckled slightly.

_There it's out, I told him I'm pregnant…why is he chuckling at me!?! _she looked up at him with fire in her otherwise beautiful grass colored orbs. "What's so funny!?" she snapped. Kakashi looked taken aback, his hands went up, palms showing in a sign of surrender. Oh she wasn't having any of that today. She pushed her palms against his chest with more force than necessary, he stumbled backward into his dresser. His face didn't have any traces of amusement anymore, he looked serious now, _about time,_ Sakura thought to herself

"What's wrong, honey?" he looked sincere enough as the words slipped out of his mouth, his voice giving it a velvety touch.

"You were laughing at me! I was being _serious_, Kakashi." the underlying tone in her voice sent shivers down Kakashi's spine, not the good kind either. He took a hesitant step forward. His eyes shone with his hesitance and concern for his Cherry Blossom.

"Don't come any closer Kakashi, or so help you GOD I WILL CA-" she was cut off as Kakashi grabbed her into a hug and pulled her close. She hissed in pain as he crushed her arms to her sides and her bones it seemed, "A..air…" she gasped and he let go and took two big steps back just incase she came out swinging. He was half surprised and half relieved with a dash of scared as she didn't do anything that he expected. She broke down and cried…she cried…why?

XXXXXXXXXXX

Tsunade tapped her desk in impatience which is really nothing new really. Shizune paced the floor before her, whispering to herself in quiet hushed incoherent sentences. Any normal human being would've asked her what was wrong by now, and why she was talking to herself like a loon. Any _normal_ human being. Tsunade, however, does not belong in this category. A few more minutes tick by and Shizune stops in mid rant.

"Why haven't you asked me what's wrong yet?" she looked perplexed for a moment as she looked over the blonde haired Hokage. Her eyes narrowed into dangerous little slits. "You don't care, do you?" Tsunade looked at her with owlish eyes for a moment longer, making the silence all the more awkward and prolonged.

"I figured you would've told me what was wrong by now…" she trailed off fully expecting Shizune to tell her by now, to fill in the blanks in her mind. On the outside she looked as if she could really give a shit, but on the inside she was burning to know what it was that was making Shizune such a mess, but her damn pride wouldn't allow her mouth to open and ask what was wrong…so she waited…and now it's coming, she can tell.

"It's about Sakura…" Shizune sounded out her name as if she was trying to articulate it perfectly, every single letter of it. Tsunade's brow creased in momentary impatience, then smoothed out only to bunch together in the middle again due to her frustration and confusion. She just wishes that she would get on with the problem about Sakura.

"Well you see, Tsunade-sama, Sakura came to me for a check up last night before she headed off to that team party thing… you know the routine check-ups we give the nurses…" Tsunade was starting to get impatient again, her foot tapping against the side of the wood table as she sat, twitching in her seat. Shizune could tell that she wasn't getting the overall picture…then something went off in her head.

"You don't know that Kakashi and Sakura are…dating?" BANG!

"Eh, I guess that would be a no…?"

Evil glare

"Yupp…definitely a no."

XXXXXXXX

Kakashi never knew that Sakura could be such a moody person, one second she's screaming at him and the next, she's…crying? Women sure are something…

Sakura couldn't help but cry, how could he laugh when she was so helplessly confused?

"Your probably thinking something like, Women sure are something, aren't you?" Kakashi looked taken aback, _damn she's good_ he thought to himself, and shook it off the next moment.

"Well, I thought that it was funny that the all mighty Sakura Haruno tripped…that's all." she gave him a look that wouldn't have killed but would definitely injure him if it could. She gave him a skeptical look now, _so he didn't hear me…? Or is he just pushing this off in his own way? Is this his way of saying 'I didn't really hear you right, right?_ she huffed, Men sure are something…

Kakashi wasn't getting a good reading right now, is she mad? Or is she going to cry again? (note that it is not very often that _the _Kakashi Hatake gets confused!). Sakura observed him carefully, hardly an expression on his face. Should I repeat myself? _I don't think that I have the guts to say _that_ again._ She put her finger to her chin and tapped it lightly without catching Kakashi's attention. Kakashi finally looked in her direction and the relief in his eyes was almost comforting, but beyond what she could take.

She walked around the room and gathered up her clothing. She turned past Kakashi and down the hallway, the floorboards creaking with every step as her feet slipped with grace over every contour and crease in the old faded cherry wood. She turned and disappeared into her room and shut the door swiftly.

"Okay…what did I do?" Kakashi whispered to the dust in the air. He was frustrated now, he tried to think back from last night to now, what he could've done to her for her to act this way. He shook his head as he made his way down the same hallway she was just in, not stopping to even look at her door he continued to the kitchen. His stomach growled all the way there. He looked all over the place for some instant ramen, _damn that woman!! She got rid of all of my cup ramen!!_ In all actuality, he knew that he needed to start eating some real food, so he was happy about that much at least.

Sakura stared blankly at the mirror in front of her. "How can it be showing already!" she whispered fervently to herself so that the ninja in the next room could not hear. She was standing in front of her full length mirror her hair dripping wet in her undergarments. She had just gotten out of the shower and she couldn't help it when she saw the full mirror, she just _had _to see if it was noticeable yet. When she was turned sideways she could've _sworn _that you could see a bump about half an inch out. "I'm not being paranoid about this, am I?" she spoke, her voice having an edge of hysteria to it.

Knock. Knock.

"Sakura? I…made brunch." Kakashi's hesitant voice floated to her from the other side of the door; as if on cue, her stomach growled something wicked. A small blush stained her cheeks, even though she knew that he had heard it he didn't comment, he just walked away.

XXXXXXXX

"Shizune…" Tsunade's right eye twitched as her feet crunched on the glass shards from the broken window. Shizune felt as if she was an animal caged in and the predator was approaching…

"W-wait Tsunade-sama!! I swore that I wouldn't tell you! I-I-I I didn't want to get hurt!!" she ducked as she thought that Tsunade was going to hit her. She was surprised however when she felt a hand soothingly pet her hair.

"Shizune, I understand." Tsunade's voice was no longer distressed, but more like the voice of a woman who has just realized something overly important to the big picture.

"You…do?" Shizune didn't want to believe that she was off of the hook that easily, because you see, Tsunade is tricky like that, she wants you to believe that you are off of the hook, then strikes at the most opportune moment. Just like the last time she did that to the black haired assistant, Shizune shuddered at the thought…

"Yes, I do, you see, I was just upset that Sakura wouldn't tell me about something like her dating her former teacher." she seemed calm and collected on the outside. On the inside, however, her anger had dissipated and was replaced by a pang of hurt and guilt, guilt because she (Sakura) knew that she would probably overreact. Overreact she did, the broken window and missing chair tribute to that assumption. It still didn't help the fact that she wished that the pink haired apprentice would come to her about these things. She sighed as she headed for the door. Shizune tracked her every movement from the time it took her to get from the desk to the door and open it.

"Tsunade…where are you going?" she had a feeling that she knew, she hadn't even told her that Sakura's pregnant!! And she thought that she was overreacting about them dating!?

"Tsunade…Sakura is pregnant." the blonde's ears pulled back slightly as if she were a dog. Her hand froze, hovering over the doors shiny cold knob. The sun broke through the clouds and let it's rays shine upon the knob, casting an eerily golden glow about the Hokage office. Shizune had her eyes closed, awaiting her answer.

The silence seemed to stretch on forever as Shizune's breath came in and out, setting the shallow beat for the rest of the room. Tsunade didn't seem to move as she pondered how she should deal with this newly appointed information without losing herself in her upcoming feelings.

"Pregnant?…I can't believe it…" she didn't stop as her fingers grasped the door knob, shutting off the eerie golden glow, seeming to cast a dark shadow upon the two figures within the room.

"Tsunade…she didn't wish for you to find out like this…but I just…I just didn't want you to be worried…" said woman just nodded her head in Shizune's and TonTon's direction and opened the door all the way and disappeared behind it leaving Shizune to play the part as Hokage for a while.

XXXXXXXXXX

Metal clanged as pots were set into the sink and plates accompanied forks onto the dinner table in the traditional place settings. Sakura glanced at her plate to see exactly what she was about to stick into her mouth. It was silent, but a comfortable one…at least it was for Kakashi, Sakura on the other hand still wondered idly how she was going to tell Kakashi about their little one…

Sakura poked at the ham for a little bit, she _was _hungry, but now the butterflies had overrode her hunger, it seemed. Kakashi had long since finished his own portion of the delicious food. Sakura couldn't help it, even as the butterflies died down a little, she couldn't even place where the hunger had run off to. All of a sudden the room was spinning slightly. She got up from the table and ran out of the kitchen.

Kakashi stared after her, "It wasn't that bad…or what did I do now to make her cry again?" he sounded as if he was at his wits end. He sighed and followed after her, down the hallway and into her bedroom. He was surprised that she wasn't in her dwelling. Okay…did she go into my bedroom? He looked around the corner and saw a foot in the bathroom.

The puking sounds coming from the lavatory was enough to make his heart clench and his feet to rush towards his lover.

"Sakura! Are you okay?" he said soothingly while pulling her hair back for her, making it hard for the precious locks to get full of puke.

"I'm sorry Kakashi, but as soon as I smelled those eggs I couldn't keep it in anymore…I was fine until I opened my mouth for that piece of ham…" she trailed off as another bought of puking immersed her fully. He didn't say anything, he figured that this was the best thing for both of their sakes. Once Sakura had fully assured Kakashi that she was done, he rushed out into the kitchen to throw away the leftover food.

When Kakashi got back in from taking out the garbage he saw Sakura with her back against the wall between the couch and the television, staring out into nothing. He watched as the sun hit her body at just the right angle, lighting up every last piece of her figure, making her appear as an angel, even though her hair was matted down with sweet and her complexion slightly paler than normal; her hair lit up like a halo. He couldn't take his eyes away for the longest time, even when he tried to, he decided to stop trying and to just enjoy all that was his…everything in him told him that this could be forever, he was hers, forever and always and she was his, forever and always, no matter what.

The leaves outside of the window swirled in a vortex of different assortments of colors, leaving Sakura dazed by the pull about them. She couldn't remember the last time that she actually enjoyed the beauty of nature. She turned to face Kakashi and she couldn't help the words as the slipped out of her mouth and her hands went down to cradle her stomach, "Kakashi…I'm pregnant."

XXXXXXX

Tsunade had to take a walk and get some fresh air before she was doomed to go insane…as if she was _sane _in the first place. She didn't even realize that she had crossed paths with a certain white-haired friend of hers. Jiraiya stood leaning against a nearby tree watching as Tsunade strode her way through the secluded park. With a nostalgic sparkle in his eye, he couldn't help but think about everything they've been through. Despite all of their past, he's never seen her with such a confused look in her eyes, and it scared him. She didn't stop to say hello as she passed the tree. He knew something was on her mind.

"Ohayo Tsunade!" Jiraiya called over to her as cheerily as he could. She nodded in his direction without looking, her stride slowed down enough, though, for him to catch up with her pace. They walked in a companionable silence, neither wanting to shatter it first. The sun was high in the sky, yet it seemed so dark as the trees surrounding the park encompassed the two walking in a night-like daze.

"I can tell that something has been bothering you, Tsunade." Jiraiya was never one for compassion, but he still had some of it left in him to give out for his life-long friend and teammate. Tsunade didn't answer right away, her face was pointed down towards the ground and her blonde locks framed her face so Jiraiya couldn't see her face fully; just the outline of her chin and nose. She tilted her head up to gaze into Jiraiya's concerned face.

"I don't understand why she wouldn't come to me for something like that." Jiraiya wasn't quite comprehending exactly what she was getting at here.

"Who's she?" he asked, seeming as confused as ever. Tsunade sighed as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, she kicked a rock that stood in her way and watched intently as it skidded across the freshly cut grass and knocked against the stone bench to the far northwestern side of the park. She stopped in her tracks and watched as two little kids ran past them without a care in the world…that's how she wanted to be…carefree…

"Sakura…that's who it is…" she marveled at the sound of her own voice, it was as if she hadn't heard it in ages. She sighed, "Who am I kidding? It's not just about the dating and pregnancy thing…" she didn't even think to elaborate for Jiraiya.

"What are you talking about, Tsunade?" to say he was confused was an understatement. He hated it when she expected him to piece together something it always frustrated him to no end. However, now was not the time to be frustrated while she was too!! It only makes matters worse. He waited about two and a half feet in front of his old friend.

"Sakura is dating Kakashi and now she's pregnant." the hurried sentence fell of her lips in such a frenzied, frantic rate that Jiraiya really had to try to get it right…oh god, he hoped that he didn't get it right…

"And this bothers you, why?" he asked in all seriousness. He knew how she could get herself worked up over these things, and it's mostly because she thinks of Sakura as a daughter probably.

"It's not the fact that she's dating Kakashi or that she's pregnant, not in itself anyways…it's just." she glanced around to see if maybe the shrubbery had ears and eyes or something of the sort. Jiraiya looked at her incredulously.

"It's the fact that she wouldn't come to me with this information herself! Instead she goes to Shizune! It's not just this time, but…" she didn't finish she sat down on the stone bench that she had previously kicked a rock at for what seemed like hours before. Jiraiya remained standing, it was easier to look her in the face this way. The sun was further towards setting, the shadows the trees cast became elongated and the whole park seemed to be engulfed in darkness.

"You're mad because she went to Kakashi about Kiba first as well." the wince gave him all the answer that he needed, better explained than it would've been in words. He sighed and rocked back onto the heels of his feet and looked up into the cerulean sky. Another companionable silence ensued. Jiraiya could've sworn that he heard a couple of sobs, but he didn't dare look down to see her in her hour of weakness, it would kill him to much.

"I just don't understand." a broken whisper fell from her lips. "Maybe it's because she was afraid of how you would react? Or maybe it was because Kakashi is who she's living with and the first person she saw?" it seemed sensible to himself, but that doesn't really mean anything once you think about it.

Her breathing evened out as she calmed down, Jiraiya didn't take his eyes off of the sky once since the sobs had started, call him a heartless bastard all you want, he just didn't know how to deal with something like that. Whenever somebody cried that he was close to, he never knew what to say, what to do. Besides, if he were in the same position he would rather be left alone, than have the sympathy and pity-party.

"I guess that makes sense…" she didn't sound to convinced but she said that it made sense, that's all he needed to here to rest his easily coerced conscious. She stood up and walked past him. The sound of fabric brushing against fabric echoed throughout the empty park as they brushed shoulders.

"Thank you for listening, Jiraiya." she sounded somewhat more sure of herself as she walked away from him with a little more bounce to her step, just a little; that's enough for Jiraiya though.

XXXXXXXXX

Kakashi couldn't take his eyes off of Sakura as she bit her bottom lip and her arms cradled her hardly showing stomach. His world had been ripped out from under him in one of the worst ways he could imagine, he wasn't ready for a kid, he probably never _would _be ready for one either. His knees wobbled underneath his weight. For the first time in years he wanted to cry, yes, _cry._ He may not be ready for a kid as of yet…but he couldn't help the happiness that spread throughout his body like fire, setting every nerve in his body on edge, electricity shot through his veins as he thought of all the possibilities of the future with Sakura and their kid, _our kid_ he thought to himself with a sense of pure happiness. He was ecstatic.

Sakura waited impatiently as he stared at her. She walked hesitantly towards his frozen figure. His eyes stared right at her, they seemed to sear right through her body and it would have made her melt had it not been such a delicate situation.

"Kakashi…?" she questioned without stopping in her march forward. Kakashi's eyes refocused on the worried emerald eyed, pink-haired beauty before him. He was at a loss for words, how is it that this woman could always do this to him? Not just now, but whenever she had him he couldn't think of the right thing to say, and it scared him to death.

He could feel the prick at the edge of his eye and he fought against the urge to the best of his ability but he failed in the end. The tears spilled forth as he crushed Sakura into a bear hug. He couldn't help it as the tears of joy ran anew as he thought of this new beginning…not only his beginning, but a beginning to him and Sakura, and their child.

Sakura was surprised when he wrapped his arms around her in a bone crushing hug. She could feel the wetness seeping through her shirt on her left shoulder. She had been so afraid of his reaction this whole time, and he is just as happy as she was when she first found out. Of-course she wanted to have a child, it was one of the lifelong dreams that she had kept since she was a child and she couldn't help the tears that welled up in her own eyes at his joyfulness, it radiated off in waves, engulfing her, dragging her in, _damn him _she thought as she sobbed into his Jounin vest.

When both of their tears stopped they stayed in each other's embrace for a long moment, both basking in the others warmth and comfort. Sakura was the first to pull away. She held Kakashi at arms length and stared at him in amazement. His eye was a reddish color around the rim and became glossy towards the middle. His dark color was a shade lighter as he bore into her own tear-coated eyes as if he could see her soul played out on her face. It made her heart skip a beat automatically, there was no doubt about it, she loved Kakashi with everything in her body, mind, spirit and soul. There was no changing it either.

Kakashi didn't flinch away from her like he would've anybody else had they stared at him like that after he had been crying. He hoped that her seeing him like this would help her to see him in a completely different light. It would help him to shed the horrible skin that he had made for himself. If she could accept him for everything he is and she could love him while she hated him, then he might be able to forget what happened to him in the past, let himself finally be happy, be free, like all of his dearly departed would've liked him to be.

They didn't know how long they were stuck like that. A knock resounded throughout the living space waking them both from their trances.

"Come on!" Tsunade huffed to herself as she stood on the steps to Sakura and Kakashi's house. It was getting a tad bit cold outside and the wind kept blowing right through her shirt which seemed to have holes in it! She contemplated breaking the door down to get inside. She had her fist raised and ready to strike when she heard footsteps on the other side, along with hushed whispers.

Kakashi wisped the door open, letting in Tsunade along with a cool gust of wind that ruffled Sakura's pink locks around her face.

"I'm sorry to intrude." the Hokage spoke as if she were but a peasant in their lord's household without being summoned there. Sakura didn't like this tone of voice on her mentor, it's like she was kicked in the stomach and somebody beat her dog.

"To what do we owe this visit, Tsunade-sama?" Kakashi asked, as ever gentle-man like as he could possibly be.

"I came to congratulate you both on your pregnancy, and that I am glad that you two have each other." she smiled at them and headed on her way back out the doorway.

"Tsunade! Wait! I didn't tell you because-" Tsunade cut her off before she could finish her statement

"Sakura, I understand, really I do." she didn't look back as she walked down the concrete steps and beyond the little fence and down the street, raising her hand in a farewell salute.

______________________________________________________________________

**And that's all she wrote, folks! I would like to thank all who have kept up with the story and reviewed, and a special thanks to xgaarax, for inspiration at the oddest moments and the earliest of times, thank you all XD, it was a pleasure and please REVIEW!!**

**~Platti~**


End file.
